clear 1 of 3

adjective

ˈklir How to pronounce clear (audio)
Definition of clearnext
1
as in obvious
not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation the meaning of her broad smile was clear to the whole class

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2
as in transparent
easily seen through the clear glass walls of the aquarium's giant ocean tank

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3
as in certain
having or showing a mind free from doubt I need to be absolutely clear about what you're saying

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4
as in sunny
not stormy or cloudy novice pilots can only fly on clear days

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5
as in conclusive
serving to put an end to all debate or questioning the evidence is clear: he's innocent

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6
as in unobstructed
allowing passage without obstruction flooding was widespread, and only some roads are clear so far

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7
as in innocent
free from guilt or blame slept with a clear conscience

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8
as in shining
giving off or reflecting much light spermaceti candles were once highly prized for the clear flame that they produced

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clear

2 of 3

verb

1
as in to rid
to set (a person or thing) free of something that encumbers cleared the woods of brush

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2
as in to empty
to remove the contents of cleared a drawer so there would be a place to store his clothes

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3
as in to open
to rid the surface of (as an area) from things in the way the early settlers worked hard to clear the land for crops

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4
as in to clarify
to remove usually visible impurities from cleared the car windows

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5
as in to free
to set free from entanglement or difficulty cleared himself of any involvement in the matter

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6
as in to smooth
to make passage through (something) possible by removing obstructions plows promptly cleared the roads of snow

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7
as in to acquit
to free from a charge of wrongdoing she had once been accused of embezzlement, but an investigation by the bank cleared her

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8
as in to approve
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory the administration cleared the plan, and building should begin shortly

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9
as in to remove
to take away from a place or position cleared the dishes from the table

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10
as in to inform
to give information to please clear my mind about the new arrangement regarding reimbursement for traveling expenses

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11
as in to earn
to receive after charges and deductions have been made cleared enough from that stock transaction to be able to afford a new luxury automobile

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12
as in to pay
to give what is owed for finally cleared the last debt

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clear

3 of 3

adverb

as in through

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective clear contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of clear are limpid, translucent, and transparent. While all these words mean "capable of being seen through," clear implies absence of cloudiness, haziness, or muddiness.

clear water

When could limpid be used to replace clear?

Although the words limpid and clear have much in common, limpid suggests the soft clearness of pure water.

her eyes were limpid pools of blue

When can translucent be used instead of clear?

The synonyms translucent and clear are sometimes interchangeable, but translucent implies the passage of light but not a clear view of what lies beyond.

translucent frosted glass

When would transparent be a good substitute for clear?

While the synonyms transparent and clear are close in meaning, transparent implies being so clear that objects can be seen distinctly.

a transparent sheet of film

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of clear
Adjective
Its rugged, military-grade design supports continuous operation in often extreme environments while providing clear, real-time imagery that helps crews maintain awareness and respond effectively in a constantly changing environment. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026 The words on the left side, though, might only be clear when your left eye is open, and with the same true for the right side and the right eye. — Abigail Witmer, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
The pedestrian incident had cleared over an hour before that. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Southbound lanes of Interstate 65 near Lebanon Junction in Bullitt County remain closed while officials work to clear wreckage from the roadway. — Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Aug. 2026
Adverb
Skies will likely clear later Friday providing us a nice Friday evening. — Steven Sosna, CBS News, 16 June 2026 Forest degradation, driven by wildfires, logging and drought, affects about 40% of the Amazon and has outpaced clear-cutting in recent years. — Gabriela Sa Pessoa, Fortune, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for clear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clear
  1. obvious
  2. transparent
  3. confident
  4. sunny
  5. conclusive
  6. cleared
  7. innocent
  8. shining
Adjective
  • The proximity makes a team’s flaws so obvious, which is why fans sometimes fixate on the three or four major problems with their team rather than highlight the strengths of the group.
    — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Oakley said there were no obvious signs of foul play or trauma.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of obvious
Adjective
  • In the funding requests, law enforcement agencies were transparent about their intent for the license plate readers.
    — Ana Goñi-Lessan, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Because of perverse incentives, a system intended to make information about the present and knowledge about the future more transparent has made the world more opaque and volatile.
    — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of transparent
Adjective
  • Other than that, he’s never seemed confident that the future will turn out all right, although he’s kept on working out his worries onscreen, forever hunting for flakes of hope in the rubble.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Coyote first hoodwinks and then forces Kevin into his lawsuit plans, taking Acme to task in a way the corporation, confident in its imperviousness, finds laughable.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of confident
Adjective
  • Sunlight Place the plant in a sunny window, south-facing if possible, and give it four to six hours of sunlight each day.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Cruise passengers considering a sunny sailing in the Caribbean may want to go ahead and book their cabins.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of sunny
Adjective
  • Metagenomic testing on blood samples, which is also becoming more common, is not always conclusive; localized infections don’t always reach the bloodstream.
    — Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Officials concluded that the video did not offer conclusive proof that a person fell off the ship.
    — Curran Rastogi, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of conclusive
Adjective
  • Not all pads are alike, but a footprint on the larger side involves five to ten acres of cleared, packed ground that serves as the hub for drilling equipment, which can include wellheads, pump jacks, tanks, wastewater storage pits, trailers, and flare stacks.
    — Alex Heard, Outside, 4 Mar. 2026
  • What counts as a cleared sidewalk?
    — Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 1 Dec. 2025
Definition of cleared
Adjective
  • When model Tricia Helfer came in for a touch-up before an introductory visit to her boyfriend’s parents, Johns toned down her bright blonde chunks to play up her naturally innocent looks.
    — Vanessa Friedman, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In a cruel coup de grace, Acosta reached into Shuler’s bag to steal an item while the innocent customer was still alive, prosecutors said.
    — John Annese, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of innocent
Adjective
  • At a time of so much partisanship in Congress, especially related to health care, breakthrough legislation is a shining example of how commonsense policies that support patient care and innovation can achieve broad support.
    — Josh Makower, STAT, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Those memories will remain some of the most shining and unforgettable moments of my life.
    — Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 12 Mar. 2026
Definition of shining

Phrases Containing clear

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clear
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Cite this Entry

“Clear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clear. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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