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
- unclarity noun
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.
"We have always sought the truth, and will continue to champion the pursuit of complete clarity on the events of that devastating day and subsequent actions taken by the Metropolitan Police," they said.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
Kumar predicted there would be more clarity by the end of May.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
Coming home sales and pricing data from the National Association of Realtors will bring some clarity to the typically busy spring homebuying season.
From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026
“Ana Murguia, Debra Rojas and Dolores Huerta are speaking with clarity and strength. I stand with them and condemn all instances of sexual assault.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
Captain Westfall was not excessively handsome, but she couldn’t help finding the ruggedness of his face and the clarity of his golden-brown eyes rather appealing.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
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.
