cleanliness
Americannoun
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the quality, state, or habit of being cleanly, or keeping oneself clean and neat.
personal cleanliness.
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the quality, state, or habit of being kept clean, as a place or object.
the cleanliness of the restaurant.
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the state or quality of being morally pure or upright.
spiritual cleanliness.
Etymology
Origin of cleanliness
First recorded in 1425–75; Middle English clenlynesse, clenlines , see origin at cleanly ( def. ), -ness ( def. )
Explanation
Cleanliness is a habit of staying neat and tidy, or sterile. Cleanliness in your bedroom is nice, but cleanliness in a hospital operating room is critical. If your friend remarks on the cleanliness of your locker, it's probably because of your thoughtful, color-coordinated organizational system. And if that same friend questions the cleanliness of your socks, it's probably because your feet smell terrible. Cleric John Wesley, one of the founders of Methodism, is famous for the line, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness," implying that how clean or dirty you are is a reflection of your moral character.
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.
Both candidates have spent the last few weeks of the campaign knocking on doors and making their case to voters, saying major issues like public safety and cleanliness are common concerns.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
A room that smells like citrus, pine, or flowers is often associated with cleanliness.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
Finally, analysts have observed that outdated restaurants in poor condition have hurt Wendy’s sales, and that the company needs to ensure sufficient staffing and cleanliness.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 8, 2026
Manya Koetse, who runs the Eye on Digital China newsletter, described the campaign as "quite a mess for a brand whose entire business revolves around cleanliness".
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
General Peckem’s communications about cleanliness and procrastination made Major Major feel like a filthy procrastinator, and he always got those out of the way as quickly as he could.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
