Cleanliness is next to godliness

1. Cleanliness is a great virtue.

Idioms and Phrases

Being clean is a sign of spiritual purity or goodness, as in Don't forget to wash your ears—cleanliness is next to godliness. This phrase was first recorded in a sermon by John Wesley in 1778, but the idea is ancient, found in Babylonian and Hebrew religious tracts. It is still invoked, often as an admonition to wash or clean up.

Example Sentences

Whatever happened to “Cleanliness is next to godliness?”

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“Cleanliness is next to godliness” was her favorite phrase.

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The dedication she and her colleagues have shown every day for the past year breathes new meaning into the phrase “cleanliness is next to godliness.”

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“Cleanliness is next to godliness, you know.”

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He went on to retweet NBC News’s series of recommendations and noted that “fist pounds” are better than high-fives and “cleanliness is next to godliness. Stay germ free.”

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