clear

American  

[kleer] / klɪər /

adjective

• clearer,
  comparative
• clearest
  superlative

1. free from darkness, obscurity, or cloudiness; light.

   a clear day.

   Synonyms:

   sunny, cloudless, fair

   Antonyms:

   dark, cloudy

2. transparent; pellucid.

   clear water.

   Synonyms:

   diaphanous, crystalline, limpid, translucent

3. without discoloration, defect, or blemish: a clear pane of glass.

   a clear complexion;

   a clear pane of glass.

4. of a pure, even color.

   a clear yellow.

5. easily seen; sharply defined.

   a clear outline.

6. distinctly perceptible to the ear; easily heard.

   a clear sound.

7. free from hoarse, harsh, or rasping qualities: clear as a bell.

   a clear voice;

   clear as a bell.

8. easily understood; without ambiguity.

   clear, concise answers.

   Synonyms:

   perspicuous, plain, lucid, comprehensible, intelligible

   Antonyms:

   obscure

9. entirely comprehensible; completely understood.

   The ultimate causes of inflation may never be clear.

10. distinct; evident; plain.

    a clear case of misbehavior.

    Synonyms:

    unmistakable, apparent, manifest, obvious

    Antonyms:

    obscure

11. free from confusion, uncertainty, or doubt.

    clear thinking.

12. perceiving or discerning distinctly.

    a clear mind.

13. convinced; certain.

    He was not clear on the first point that she made but agreed with the others.

    Antonyms:

    uncertain

14. free from anything that would disturb or blame.

    a clear conscience.

15. free from suspicion of guilt or complicity.

    She was entirely clear of the crime until one of her accomplices turned informer.

16. serene; calm; untroubled.

    a clear brow.

17. free from obstructions or obstacles; open: a clear path.

    a clear view;

    a clear path.

18. free from entanglement or contact: She managed to keep her dress clear of the mud.

    He kept clear of her after the argument.

    She managed to keep her dress clear of the mud.

    Synonyms:

    unencumbered, unhampered

19. without limitation or qualification; absolute.

    a clear victory.

20. free from obligation, liability, or debt: Municipal bonds were returning as much as 9 percent, clear of taxes.

    After twenty years, our house is clear of the mortgage.

    Municipal bonds were returning as much as 9 percent, clear of taxes.

21. without deduction or diminution.

    a clear $1000 after taxes.

22. freed or emptied of contents, cargo, etc.

23. (of tree trunks or timber) free from branches, knots, or other protruding or rough parts.

    The trunk was clear for 20 feet above the ground.

24. Phonetics.

    1. (of an l- sound) having front-vowel resonance; situated before a vowel in the same syllable.

    2. (of a speech sound) produced without frication or aspiration.

25. (in cryptography) not coded or enciphered.

26. bright; shining.

    a clear flame.

27. Obsolete. illustrious.

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adverb

clearer, clearest

1. in a clear or distinct manner; clearly.

2. so as not to be in contact with or near; away (often followed byof ).

   Stand clear of the closing doors.

3. Informal. entirely; completely; clean.

   to cut a piece clear off;

   to climb clear to the top;

   to run clear off the road.

verb (used with object)

• clears,
  present (3rd person singular)
• cleared,
  past participle,  past
• clearing
  present participle

1. to remove people or objects from (usually followed byof ): to clear the table of dishes.

   to clear a courtroom of photographers;

   to clear the table of dishes.

2. to remove (people or objects) (usually followed byfrom ): to clear the dishes from the table.

   to clear the photographers from the courtroom;

   to clear the dishes from the table.

3. to make clear, transparent, or pellucid; free from cloudiness or impurities.

   to clear a liquid by means of a filter.

   Synonyms:

   refine, purify, clarify

4. to make free of confusion, doubt, or uncertainty.

   He spoke to his supervisor to clear his mind about their working relationship.

5. to make understandable or lucid; free from ambiguity or obscurity.

   She rephrased the report in order to clear the essential points.

6. to make (a path, road, etc.) by removing any obstruction.

   He had to cut away the underbrush to clear a path.

7. to eat all the food on.

   to clear one's plate.

8. to relieve (the throat) of some obstruction, as phlegm, by forcing air through the larynx, usually producing a rasping sound.

9. to make a similar rasping noise in (the throat), as to express disapproval or to attract attention.

10. to remove from (the brow) any traces of tension or anxiety, as folds or wrinkles.

11. to free of anything defamatory or discrediting.

    to clear one's name.

12. to free from suspicion, accusation, or imputation of guilt; prove or declare innocent.

    The jury cleared the defendant of the charge.

    Synonyms:

    excuse, vindicate, absolve, exonerate

13. to remove instructions or data from (a computer, calculator, etc.).

14. to pass by or over without contact or entanglement: The fisherman cleared his line.

    The ship cleared the reef.

    The fisherman cleared his line.

15. to pass through or away from: The bill cleared the Senate.

    The ship cleared the harbor.

    The bill cleared the Senate.

16. to pass (checks or other commercial paper) through a clearinghouse.

17. (of mail, telephone calls, etc.) to process, handle, reroute, etc..

    The dispatcher clears hundreds of items each day.

18. to free from debt: The widow had to borrow money to clear her husband's estate.

    Just a few dollars more would clear him.

    The widow had to borrow money to clear her husband's estate.

19. to gain as clear profit.

    to clear $1000 in a transaction.

20. to pay (a debt) in full.

21. to receive authorization before taking action on.

    You'll have to clear your plan with headquarters.

22. to give clearance to; authorize.

    The chairperson has to clear our speeches before the meeting.

23. to authorize (a person, agency, etc.) to use classified information, documents, etc..

    He has finally been cleared for highly classified information.

24. to remove trees, buildings, or other obstructions from (land), as for farming or construction.

25. to free (a ship, cargo, etc.) from legal detention at a port by satisfying customs and other requirements.

26. to try or otherwise dispose of (the cases awaiting court action).

    to clear the docket.

27. (of a commodity) to buy up or sell out the existing supply of.

28. Skin Diving. to drain or expel unwanted water in: to clear a regulator and face mask while underwater.

    to clear a snorkel by sharp exhalations;

    to clear a regulator and face mask while underwater.

29. Bridge. to establish one or more winning cards in (a given suit) by leading the suit until all the outstanding cards have been drawn.

    He cleared the heart suit before attacking spades.

verb (used without object)

• clears,
  present (3rd person singular)
• cleared,
  past participle,  past
• clearing
  present participle

1. to become clear.

2. to exchange checks and bills, and settle balances, as in a clearinghouse.

3. to become free from doubt, anxiety, misunderstanding, etc..

   His mind cleared when he heard the truth.

4. to pass an authority for review, approval, etc..

   The bill must clear through the assembly before it becomes legal.

5. to remove dishes, food, etc., from a table following a meal.

   Is it my turn to clear?

6. to remove previously inserted instructions or data from a computer, calculator, typewriter, or the like.

7. Nautical.

   1. to comply with customs and other requirements legally imposed on entering or leaving a port (often followed by in orout ).

   2. to leave port after having complied with such requirements.

8. (of a commodity for sale) to sell out; become bought out.

   Wheat cleared rapidly.

noun

• clears
  plural

1. a clear or unobstructed space.

2. plaintext.

3. a piece of clear lumber.

verb phrase

1. clear away / off

   1. to remove in order to make room.

   2. to leave; escape.

      We were warned to clear off before the floods came.

   3. to disappear; vanish.

      When the smoke cleared away, we saw that the house was in ruins.

2. clear up

   1. to make clear; explain; solve.

   2. to put in order; tidy up.

   3. to become better or brighter, as the weather.

3. clear out

   1. to remove the contents of.

      Clear out the closet.

   2. to remove; take away.

      Clear out your clothes from the closet.

   3. to go away, especially quickly or abruptly.

   4. to drive or force out.

      The police cleared out the pickets by force.

idioms

1. in the clear,

   1. absolved of blame or guilt; free.

      He was suspected of the theft, but evidence put him in the clear.

   2. en clair.

clear British  

/ klɪə /

adjective

1. free from darkness or obscurity; bright

2. (of weather) free from dullness or clouds

3. transparent

   clear water

4. even and pure in tone or colour

   clear blue

5. without discoloration, blemish, or defect

   a clear skin

6. easy to see or hear; distinct

7. free from doubt or confusion

   his instructions are not clear

8. (postpositive) certain in the mind; sure

   are you clear?

9. (in combination) perceptive, alert

   clear-headed

10. evident or obvious

    it is clear that he won't come now

11. (of sounds or the voice) not harsh or hoarse

12. serene; calm

13. without qualification or limitation; complete

    a clear victory

14. free of suspicion, guilt, or blame

    a clear conscience

15. free of obstruction; open

    a clear passage

16. free from debt or obligation

17. (of money, profits, etc) without deduction; net

18. emptied of freight or cargo

19. (of timber) having a smooth, unblemished surface

20. Also: in clear. (of a message, etc) not in code

21. Also: light. phonetics denoting an (l) in whose articulation the main part of the tongue is brought forward giving the sound of a front-vowel timbre

22. showjumping (of a round) ridden without any fences being knocked down or any points being lost

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adverb

1. in a clear or distinct manner

2. completely or utterly

3. not in contact (with); free

   stand clear of the gates

noun

1. a clear space

2. another word for clearance

3. 1. free of suspicion, guilt, or blame

   2. sport able to receive a pass without being tackled

verb

1. to make or become free from darkness, obscurity, etc

2. (intr)

   1. (of the weather) to become free from dullness, fog, rain, etc

   2. (of mist, fog, etc) to disappear

3. (tr) to free from impurity or blemish

4. (tr) to free from doubt or confusion

   to clear one's mind

5. (tr) to rid of objects, obstructions, etc

6. (tr) to make or form (a path, way, etc) by removing obstructions

7. (tr) to free or remove (a person or thing) from something, such as suspicion, blame, or guilt

8. (tr) to move or pass by or over without contact or involvement

   he cleared the wall easily

9. (tr) to rid (the throat) of phlegm or obstruction

10. (tr) to make or gain (money) as profit

11. to discharge or settle (a debt)

12. (tr) to free (a debtor) from obligation

13. (intr) (of a cheque) to pass through one's bank and be charged against one's account

14. banking to settle accounts by exchanging (commercial documents) in a clearing house

15. to permit (ships, aircraft, cargo, passengers, etc) to unload, disembark, depart, etc, after fulfilling the customs and other requirements, or (of ships, etc) to be permitted to unload, etc

16. to obtain or give (clearance)

17. (tr) to obtain clearance from

18. (tr) microscopy to make (specimens) transparent by immersion in a fluid such as xylene

19. (tr) to permit (a person, company, etc) to see or handle classified information

20. (tr) military

    1. to achieve transmission of (a signalled message) and acknowledgment of its receipt at its destination

    2. to decode (a message, etc)

21. (tr) sport to hit, kick, carry, or throw (the ball) out of the defence area

22. (tr) computing to remove data from a storage device and replace it with particular characters that usually indicate zero

23. (tr) to remove (trees, scrub, etc) from land

24. See air

25. to prepare for action, as by removing obstacles from a field of activity or combat

clear More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing clear

• coast is clear
• free and clear
• have a clear conscience
• in the clear
• loud and clear
• out of a clear blue sky
• see one's way (clear)
• steer clear of

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Synonym Usage

See clean.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• clearer
  noun
• clearness
  noun
• preclear
  verb (used with object)
• clearable
  adjective
• half-clear
  adjective
• unclear
  adjective
• unclearable
  adjective
• uncleared
  adjective
• well-cleared
  adjective
• half-clearly
  adverb
• unclearly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• clears
  plural

Adjectives

• clearer
  comparative
• clearest
  superlative

Participles

• clearing
  present
• cleared
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• clear
  simple
• clears
  simple
• have cleared
  perfect
• has cleared
  perfect
• am clearing
  progressive
• are clearing
  progressive
• is clearing
  progressive
• have been clearing
  perfect progressive
• has been clearing
  perfect progressive

Past

• cleared
  simple
• had cleared
  perfect
• was clearing
  progressive
• were clearing
  progressive
• had been clearing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will clear
  simple
• will have cleared
  perfect
• will be clearing
  progressive
• will have been clearing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of clear

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English clere, from Anglo-French, Old French cler, from Latin clārus

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Explanation

Clear means clean and uncluttered, without distractions or confusion. If your explanation of relativity is clear, it's easy to understand. If the sky’s clear, there isn't a cloud to be seen. As a verb, clear implies getting rid of obstacles. You can clear your head (get rid of anxiety and upsetting thoughts); clear the way (remove obstacles in your path); or clear the trees to make a clearing where you can pitch your tent. If you own your car "free and clear," it's all yours — you don't owe anything on it. When you arrive in a country, you clear customs when officials check your papers and belongings and send you on your way.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

clear clears clearer clearest cleared clearing

At the same time, deep down, I recognize that my brother has his reasons, and he has been very clear about what he wants.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 13, 2026

Burnham has also made clear he wants to examine the "pros and cons" of the options for Britain's long-term relationship with the bloc.

From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2026

Their slipping grip on power is clear in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, which will hold regional elections early next year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026

A clear contrast emerged when they compared the men with the highest and lowest intakes of animal and plant protein.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 13, 2026

Joey may be small, but her fighting spirit is mighty, and that becomes clear soon after she arrives in Carville.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

His decision not to seek the minority leadership clears the way for a contest between current House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan.

From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2026

Oil is likely to stay range-bound until the dust from the U.S. midterms clears.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

The decision clears the way for the lower court to proceed with hearing the case.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

As the storm clears yet another area of low pressure is expected to move in from the Atlantic, although it remains uncertain whether that system will be strong enough to be named.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

Mr. Darling clears his throat, and everyone in the room stops chitchatting.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

Thirty years later, the need for reform is even clearer, and a federal law isn’t required.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026

“Now they’re taking a much clearer position and actually recommending regular screening.”

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026

“This motion builds on existing work and seeks to establish a clearer process for identifying these groups and understanding the county’s options for accountability,” Mitchell said Tuesday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2026

This action will include a research programme looking at the routes taken by teenagers aged 14 to 19, investigating how schools can work with communities to provide clearer pathways into further study and successful employment.

From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2026

“There are many ways to view the world,” Dr. Poirot tells me on one of my clearer days, when he knows I’ll digest it, and not just repeat back what he says.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

But it’s a can of worms he didn’t have to open — the clearest statement we’ll ever get of who Newsom is as a leader.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

That makes the vehicle perhaps the clearest case yet for voice-based AI, and for running it on the device; cell connections are spotty, and responses need to be instant.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Pirrie said his latest publication on the Altar Stone has "built the clearest picture yet" and was "the most comprehensive geological investigation of the Altar Stone ever undertaken".

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

“One of the clearest findings from ‘How America Retires’ is that there is no single path people follow once they retire,” Clark said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

Not in the clearest hour of Zollverein’s clearest day has Werner breathed air so unadulterated by dust.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

The bill to legalize laetrile cleared the committee without opposition.

From Slate ● Nov. 12, 2026

Rams coach Sean McVay says Myles Garrett will be cleared to practice this week but the team is waiting to see if he can play against the Commanders.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

Furlong is free to play after he was cleared by a disciplinary committee of grabbing Gavin Coombes in the groin last month.

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026

Inspections of the passengers, luggage, and the aircraft yielded negative results, and the alert has since been cleared.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

He cleared his throat, determined to get through this as quickly as possible.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

“Industry testing of the clearing system has been completed and the clearing system rulebook will be finalized soon,” the central bank said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026

As companies try to keep Wall Street happy in a period of market unrest, their third-quarter results are barely clearing the bar.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 8, 2026

This is the belief that dense forests with nearly continuous tree canopies were Europe's natural landscape before humans began clearing land for agriculture and settlements.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 7, 2026

Both sides described Rinderknecht working as an Uber driver on New Year’s Eve before parking and hiking to a clearing known as Hidden Buddha.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

But he just gave his throat a loud clearing.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

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Related Words

• clear-cut
• coherent
• definite
• distinct
• evident
• explicit
• obvious
• precise
• sharp
• simple
• straightforward
• transparent
• unambiguous
• unequivocal
• unmistakable

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