clean 1 of 3

adjective

ˈklēn How to pronounce clean (audio)
Definition of cleannext
1
as in pristine
free from dirt or stain although the soccer team always starts out with clean uniforms, they don't stay that way for long

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in legal
following or according to the rules a clean check from the other hockey player

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3
as in pure
free from any trace of the coarse or indecent only clean songs will be permitted for the performances on the last night of summer camp

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4
as in thorough
trying all possibilities police made a clean sweep of the area before the governor's arrival

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5
as in simple
having no exceptions or restrictions the clean joy of running that young children experience

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6
as in devoid
lacking contents that could or should be present the ship returned with a clean hold

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clean

2 of 3

verb

1
as in to wipe
to remove the dirt from we cleaned the clothes before donating them to charity

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2
as in to remove
to take the internal organs out of cleaned the rabbit before cooking it

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clean

3 of 3

adverb

1
as in legally
according to the rules or the law a boxer who doesn't fight clean

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2
as in completely
to a full extent or degree the thief got clean away

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Try This Instead Try This Instead

For
Try This
clean water
drinkable water
safe water
fresh water
clean air
non-polluted air
pollutant-free air
pure air
clean energy
green energy
renewable energy
low-pollution energy
clean rooms
spotless rooms
white rooms
intact rooms
clean lines
perfect lines
flawless lines
nice lines
crisp lines
simple lines

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 clean
Adjective
Also known as overlock machines, sergers create strong, durable seams and help produce clean fabric edges. — Emma Seymour Feb 3, Good Housekeeping, 3 Feb. 2023 Under the auspices of the Sustainable Marblehead Beach Cleaning team, led by Pam Roberts, groups of volunteers clean at least one beach in Marblehead each week, year-round. — Bette Keva, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Feb. 2023
Verb
Having the right products on hand can make spring cleaning less daunting. — Toni Sutton, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025 One night at dinner, a server picked up my dirty glasses (Rai’s favorite teether), cleaned them, and tightened the screws. — Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 18 Mar. 2025
Adverb
These services sell carbon credits offered by NGOs and governments that, using offset proceeds, plant mangroves, distribute clean-burning stoves, preserve grasslands, and install digesters to capture cooking gas from manure among other types of projects. — Time, 21 Oct. 2022 BioLite’s innovative solar, power, and cookstove products make great backpacking companions, but its household products are also directly changing lives in communities where people lack access to electricity, artificial lighting, and clean-burning stoves. — Kassondra Cloos, Outside Online, 28 July 2022 See All Example Sentences for clean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean
  1. pristine
  2. legal
  3. pure
  4. thorough
  5. simple
  6. devoid
  7. wipe
  8. remove
Adjective
  • This is a battle of the league's best and worst three-point shooting teams, as Orlando has hit just 30.9 percent of its triples, the worst mark in the NBA, while Cleveland is shooting a pristine 39.0 percent from three in 2024-25, the league's tidiest rate.
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Hay Island, a pristine 18-acre piece of land that is hidden near Long Island Sound, has listed for $35 million.
    — TJ Macias, Miami Herald, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of pristine
Adjective
  • When splitting retirement plans, a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) is a legal document that is used to facilitate the split.
    — Heather L. Locus, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
  • But, every time the legal system failed one of her clients, her faith in it was rattled.
    — Sarah Lustbader, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of legal
Adjective
  • This can provide significant advantages over today’s best mini-LED TVs, including higher brightness, less blooming (light bleed around bright images), and purer, more accurate colors.
    — Ryan Waniata, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Blanchett, meanwhile, continues her reign among the cadre of actresses who work with their stylists — in this case, Elizabeth Stewart — to craft a collection of press-run looks that extend beyond pure glamour in their talking points.
    — Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of pure
Adjective
  • Both have earned our Editors' Choice award after thorough testing.
    — PCMAG, PCMAG, 19 Mar. 2025
  • First, conduct a thorough assessment of your existing infrastructure and define clear integration requirements before deployment.
    — Gegham Azatyan, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of thorough
Adjective
  • All of this is a vaguely long-winded way of making a simple point — the outlook for Wolves’ defence has changed dramatically over the course of this season.
    — Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The truth about why these increases are happening is simple: these insurance companies didn’t do the math right!
    — Patti Brennan, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.
    — Michael Abbott, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Delle, devoid for so long from its intrinsic need for social interaction might be filling in the gaps by talking to himself.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 14 Feb. 2023
Definition of devoid
Verb
  • There was the first video review of a goal, wiping another SDFC score off the board.
    — Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Give it a good scrub, then use a cloth or mop to wipe it down with clean, warm water.
    — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of wipe
Verb
  • To start, remove any weeds, rocks, or other debris from the planting area and rake the soil flat.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Over the past two years, Mellencamp has had 17 different spots of melanoma removed, and recently discovered the cancer had spread.
    — Dave Quinn, People.com, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of remove

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Cite this Entry

“Clean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on clean

Nglish: Translation of clean for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about clean

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