in the clear
Idioms-
Free from danger or suspicion of wrongdoing, as in The evidence showed that the suspect was actually in the clear . [1920s]
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Having enough money to make a profit, as in When they added up the box-office returns, they found they were several thousand dollars in the clear . [ Slang ; 1920s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Legally, bosses are in the clear, confirms Tina Chander, partner and employment lawyer at Weightmans.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
‘Yellowstone’ actor Q’orianka Kilcher is in the clear in her workers’ comp fraud case.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026
Just one minute later, Portland guard Jrue Holiday thought he was in the clear, with Wembanyama stationed far from the rim.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026
So if you have not gotten a review from this guest yet, you’re probably in the clear.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 20, 2026
I stand, breathing in the clear, fresh air.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
