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Synonyms

neat

1 American  
[neet] / nit /

adjective

neater, neatest

  1. in a pleasingly orderly and clean condition.

    a neat room.
    Synonyms:
    smart, spruce
    Antonyms:
    sloppy

  2. habitually orderly and clean in appearance or habits.

    a neat person.

  3. of a simple, pleasing appearance, style, design, etc..

    a neat cottage.

  4. cleverly effective in character or execution: a neat solution.

    a neat scheme;

    a neat solution.
    Synonyms:
    wonderful, well-planned

  5. Slang. great; excellent; fine.

    What a neat car!

  6. clever, dexterous, or apt.

    She gave a neat characterization of the old woman.
    Synonyms:
    adroit
    Antonyms:
    maladroit

  7. (of liquid, especially liquor) straight.

    Synonyms:
    pure, unmixed
    Antonyms:
    mixed

  8. Building Trades.

    1. (of cement) without sand or other aggregate.

    2. (of plaster) without any admixture except hair or fiber.

  9. net.

    neat profits.

adverb

  1. Informal. neatly.

neat 2 American  
[neet] / nit /

noun

plural

neat

  1. an animal of the genus Bos; a bovine, as a cow or ox.

neat 1 British  
/ niːt /

adjective

  1. clean, tidy, and orderly

  2. liking or insisting on order and cleanliness; fastidious

  3. smoothly or competently done; efficient

    a neat job

  4. pat or slick

    his excuse was suspiciously neat

  5. (of alcoholic drinks) without added water, lemonade, etc; undiluted

  6. a less common word for net 2

    neat profits

  7. slang good; pleasing; admirable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
neat 2 British  
/ niːt /

noun

  1. archaic a domestic bovine animal

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • neatly adverb
  • neatness noun

Etymology

Origin of neat1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English net “spruce, trim, clean,” from Middle French, from Latin nitidus “shining, polished, handsome, spruce,” equivalent to nit(ēre) “to shine” + -idus adjective suffix; -id 4

Origin of neat2

First recorded before 900; Middle English net, nete, nette, Old English nēat, cognate with Old Norse naut, Middle Dutch noot; akin to Old English nēotan “to use, possess”

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.

A slight figure in neat shirts and jackets, Magyar seemed too slick and urbane to reach the hearts of the rural electorate, but has proven himself a strong challenger.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

"This offer was a neat way to open dialogue and to try to put the ball back in centre court," he added.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

In the face of complexity, she chooses neat conclusions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

One is the charming pueblo in foothills lined with neat rows of agave cactus.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

Not one of her nice, neat yoga ones.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

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.