tidy

1 of 3

adjective

ti·​dy ˈtī-dē How to pronounce tidy (audio)
tidier; tidiest
1
a
: neat and orderly in appearance or habits : well ordered and cared for
b
: methodical, precise
a tidy mind
2
: large, substantial
a tidy profit
3
: adequately satisfactory : acceptable, fair
a tidy solution to their problem
4
: properly filled out : plump
tidily adverb
tidiness noun

tidy

2 of 3

verb

tidied; tidying

transitive verb

: to put in order
tidy up a room

intransitive verb

: to make things tidy
tidying up after supper
tidier noun

tidy

3 of 3

noun

plural tidies
1
: a usually compartmentalized receptacle for various small objects
2
: a piece of fancywork used to protect the back, arms, or headrest of a chair or sofa from wear or soil

Examples of tidy in a Sentence

Adjective He has always been a tidy person. She earns a tidy salary. They paid a tidy sum for the house. Verb I tidied the house before they arrived.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Problems arise when containers are spread throughout different spaces in a kitchen (speaking from personal experience), and collecting food container items into one centralized location is essential to keep them organized and tidy. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2024 But that tidy narrative unraveled when Crane, who works as a volunteer at Oak Spring, started chatting with Tommy Reed, a stonemason at the foundation. Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Oct. 2024
Verb
For many, however, this simply means transferring the chores—cooking and tidying up—from home to a new address. Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024 While most of us can tackle tidying up our homes every so often, that just might involve stashing stuff in closets, attics, garages, craft rooms, and storage sheds. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2024
Noun
Often called the Chelsea Chop, this trim tidies up plants and encourages a second flush of blooms. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2024 Compact yet spacious, this all-in-one bag is a travel essential for keeping your tech tidy, keeping you less stressed. Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 3 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for tidy 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tidy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, timely, in good condition, from tide time

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

1821, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

circa 1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tidy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near tidy

Cite this Entry

“Tidy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tidy. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

tidy

1 of 3 adjective
ti·​dy ˈtīd-ē How to pronounce tidy (audio)
tidier; tidiest
1
: well ordered and cared for
2
: large, substantial
a tidy price

tidy

2 of 3 verb
tidied; tidying
1
: to put in order
tidy up the room
2
: to make things tidy

tidy

3 of 3 noun
plural tidies
: a fancy covering used to protect the back, arms, or headrest of a chair or sofa from wear or soiling

More from Merriam-Webster on tidy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!