clear-cut

American  

[kleer-kuht, kleer-kuht] / ˈklɪərˈkʌt, ˈklɪərˌkʌt /

Also clear cut,

adjective

1. formed with or having clearly defined outlines.

   a face with clear-cut features.

   Synonyms:

   definite, positive, precise, crisp, chiseled

2. unambiguously clear; completely evident; definite.

   His sale of secrets was a clear-cut example of treachery.

3. of or relating to a section of forest where all trees have been cut down for harvesting.

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noun

1. a section of forest where all trees have been cut down for harvesting.

verb (used with object)

clear-cut, clear-cutting

1. to fell all the trees in (a section of forest) for harvesting.

clear-cut British  

adjective

1. definite; not vague

   a clear-cut proposal

2. clearly outlined

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verb

1. (tr) another term for clear-fell

Other Word Forms

• clear-cutness noun

Etymology

Origin of clear-cut

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

But those rules are less clear-cut if workers are classified as employees, as employers often automatically own the copyright to their workers’ products.

From Salon

Admittedly, comparing the forecast to consensus expectations isn’t so clear-cut.

From MarketWatch

The situation elsewhere was not as clear-cut, said Stiglitz, who served as chief economist at the World Bank in the late 1990s after being the chairman of US president Bill Clinton's council of economic advisers.

From Barron's

“The incentives to accept the settlement upfront, as opposed to waiting for a ruling before deciding, may therefore not be completely clear-cut,” the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, some experts say those numbers aren’t as clear-cut as they seem.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• categorical
• definitive
• explicit
• obvious
• precise
• pronounced
• specific
• straightforward
• unambiguous
• unequivocal
• well-defined