clearing

American  

[kleer-ing] / ˈklɪər ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that clears; the process of becoming clear.

2. a tract of land, as in a forest, that contains no trees or bushes.

3. the reciprocal exchange between banks of checks and drafts, and the settlement of the differences.

4. clearings, the total of claims settled at a clearinghouse.

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clearing British  

/ ˈklɪərɪŋ /

noun

1. an area with few or no trees or shrubs in wooded or overgrown land

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Other Word Forms

• unclearing adjective

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.

Example Sentences

Their daily work included collecting ice fragments brought up during drilling and clearing snow from the camp, while specialized drillers worked through hundreds of feet of ice.

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026

Unifil said the patrol had been clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah to reconnect isolated positions.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

He foresees a “highly probable future” where blockchain becomes a major venue for NYSE’s core operations, such as trading, clearing, settlement, capital formation and data distribution, Blaugrund said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Warsh’s paperwork, including his financial disclosures and committee questionnaire, has been submitted to the banking panel, clearing a large procedural hurdle.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Theo shakes his head, as if clearing water from his ear.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Related Words

• clearance
• expanse