Showing Results for "clearing"

See Also:

• present participle of clear.

clearing

American  

[kleer-ing] / ˈklɪər ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that clears; the process of becoming clear.

2. a tract of land, as in a forest, that contains no trees or bushes.

3. the reciprocal exchange between banks of checks and drafts, and the settlement of the differences.

4. clearings, the total of claims settled at a clearinghouse.

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clearing British  

/ ˈklɪərɪŋ /

noun

1. an area with few or no trees or shrubs in wooded or overgrown land

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unclearing
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of clearing

First recorded in 1350–1400, clearing is from the Middle English word clering. See clear, -ing ¹

Explanation

A clearing is an area that's open, with no trees, especially one in the middle of the woods or that's been cleared for planting. A clearing at the edge of the forest is a nice place to build a cabin. The noun clearing is a good way to describe an open place in the midst of dense growth, like a field or a glade in a forest. Some clearings are created deliberately for cultivating crops or building houses, while others come naturally from fires or droughts. This word first appeared in American English around 1818.

Example Sentences

Platner’s primary opponent, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, suspended her campaign in late April, clearing his path.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

The military thus far has had limited involvement in clearing roadblocks, playing a supporting role to the riot police.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

After clearing up a lab backlog, the Health Ministry said recently that hundreds of patients who were previously believed to have contracted Ebola in fact hadn’t.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

Although legally the financial responsibility of clearing fly-tipped waste on private property falls on the landowner, the council said it stepped in given the "exceptional danger and scale of the site".

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

The houses promised by the government were incomplete, the cement still wet, so they slept outdoors at first, terrified of snakes and other wild animals in the bushy new clearing.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

Related Words

• clearance
• expanse