clearing
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing clearing
Of Mice and Men
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The Wild Robot
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King and the Dragonflies
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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.
Experts say clearing the strait of mines will be a slow process which could take anywhere from 30 days to as long as six months.
From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026
Still, a full clearing of the backlog is likely to take longer, with hundred of vessels physically trapped in the Gulf and mine-sweeping operations expected to take some time.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026
Navy rear admiral told the BBC Radio4’s Today program that clearing the mines could take “weeks to months.”
From MarketWatch • Jun. 15, 2026
By his senior year, he had agreements with roughly 350 salons and was clearing $25,000 to $30,000 a month.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026
Towering waves crashed onto the shore; spray foamed white and rainbows fountained into the clearing sky.
From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr
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.
