clarity
Americannoun
-
clearness or lucidity as to perception or understanding; freedom from indistinctness or ambiguity.
- Synonyms:
- simplicity, exactness, intelligibility
-
the state or quality of being clear or transparent to the eye; pellucidity.
the clarity of pure water.
noun
-
clearness, as of expression
-
clearness, as of water
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of clarity
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English cler(e)te, clar(i)te, from Old French clarte, from Latin clāritāt-, stem of clāritās, equivalent to clear + -ity
Explanation
Clarity means clearness. Clean water running down a mountain has clarity. So does a lovely singing voice: it's clear and pure. If you bring clarity to a situation, you help people see what really happened by clearing up misunderstandings or giving explanations. Sometimes people talk about having moments of clarity when suddenly everything about a particular situation or even about life itself comes into focus. People also talk about good writing having clarity when it is precise, clean, and easy to understand.
Vocabulary lists containing clarity
Starting Your New Life: Inspiring Words from Commencement Speeches
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Keystone Exams: English Composition Glossary
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Journalism
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"He handled it with calm and clarity, and brought himself back safely," said Josef Aschbacher, head of the ESA, in remarks on Tuesday.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
Part of their conversation, which has been edited and condensed for clarity, appears below.
From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026
The result is a metaphysical model that, at best, lacks clarity, and at worst obscures the very nature of reality.
From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026
He remembers the moment with perfect clarity because for just about anybody else, hitting triple digits is the absolute pinnacle of pitching achievement.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
It felt good, this clarity, and it felt terrible.
From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
