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

Example Sentences

Everyone talks about “budgeting” — but I’ve found the real challenge is clearing the psychological hurdle to sitting down and auditing where your cash actually goes each month.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

After clearing security, her group went to their assigned gate—only to discover that it was for a different flight.

From Slate • Mar. 26, 2026

For Kalshi, the partnership is about breaking down barriers to entry for institutional players, giving them real-time clearing and high-volume processing.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

Hours after that filing, the Federal Communications Commission’s Media Bureau in Washington approved Nexstar’s deal — clearing the way for the nation’s largest TV station group owner to swallow the third-largest station group.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026

On the afternoon of the first blast from Mount St. Helens, Johnston stood in a clearing near the forest with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Related Words

• clearance
• expanse