crystal-clear
Americanadjective
Usage
What does crystal-clear mean? Crystal-clear literally means completely clear—often meaning you can see right through it. Crystal is a type of mineral or glass that’s clear—it resembles ice. When crystal-clear is used in this way, it often describes things like perfectly clear water. But it can also describe things that have perfect clarity—a TV might be said to have a crystal-clear picture, for example. Even things that aren’t visual might be said to be crystal-clear in this way, as in These headphones provide crystal-clear sound. Crystal-clear can also be used figuratively to mean extremely easy to understand—meaning there’s nothing at all confusing about it. This sense of the word is often used to describe things like instructions or a piece of writing. Crystal-clear can be used with or without a hyphen. It’s often used with a hyphen when it comes before the thing it describes, as in crystal-clear glass, and without a hyphen when it follows the thing it describes, as in the glass was crystal clear. The phrase clear as crystal means the same thing as both senses of crystal-clear. A close synonym for both senses of the word is transparent. Example: These crystal-clear cleaning instructions will give you crystal-clear windows in no time!
Etymology
Origin of crystal-clear
First recorded in 1510–20
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.
I waded into the crystal-clear water, and felt a strong current pull me.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 25, 2025
But he still speaks in the crystal-clear, melodious Arabic of one who studied literature, and recited the Quran daily as the imam of a local mosque.
From BBC • Oct. 18, 2025
Washington state’s unemployment insurance system has a crystal-clear mission: to provide a temporary income to workers who lost their jobs through no fault of their own.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 28, 2024
Across her wide contralto range she could easily alternate between thick vibrato and crystal-clear precision.
From New York Times • Oct. 4, 2023
I was tiny! she sent, the message a combination of a crystal-clear image of the hatching, accompanied by a gentle sense of amusement.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
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.
