Definition of transparentnext
1
2
3

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective transparent contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of transparent are clear, limpid, and translucent. While all these words mean "capable of being seen through," transparent implies being so clear that objects can be seen distinctly.

a transparent sheet of film

When is it sensible to use clear instead of transparent?

The words clear and transparent can be used in similar contexts, but clear implies absence of cloudiness, haziness, or muddiness.

clear water

When can limpid be used instead of transparent?

The words limpid and transparent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, limpid suggests the soft clearness of pure water.

her eyes were limpid pools of blue

Where would translucent be a reasonable alternative to transparent?

The meanings of translucent and transparent largely overlap; however, translucent implies the passage of light but not a clear view of what lies beyond.

translucent frosted glass

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of transparent Springshot urged the court to pause Spirit’s data sale until a transparent forensic process establishes that none of the data Google is grabbing is actually owned by third parties. Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2026 The top of the cleaner holds a water outlet, a control panel, and a transparent cover for the 4-liter filter basket. John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026 As polls show the public increasingly favoring guardrails for AI safety — and opposing data center buildouts — the White House is likely to face still more calls for an explanation of why a more transparent framework is not possible. Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026 In their new study published today in the journal PLOS One, Hope and her colleagues presented Asian elephants with a transparent box filled with fruit. Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for transparent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for transparent
Adjective
  • O’Connor’s face filled the screen, her crystal-blue eyes piercing me in my own living room.
    Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 25 July 2026
  • Beside the dessert sat a crystal coupe overflowing with Caramelized Shallot Dip from Every Leaf, Every Stem.
    Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 June 2026
Adjective
  • Mourinho’s aim to get closer to his players has been especially clear with the team’s biggest names.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Congress has bipartisan bills in the works aimed at setting clearer federal consumer protections, including age verification.
    Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Recommended by Our Editors The sheer aura of this sandbox, and your agile tools for exploring it, almost make the rest of Control Resonant feel perfunctory by comparison.
    Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The skirt also featured a ribbon waist tie and a sheer, tulle underlayer visible beneath the thigh-high slit.
    Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 18 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • His research later expanded into flexible electronics, liquid metal electronics, microsupercapacitors, and lithium-ion batteries.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Reflections, liquid surfaces, shimmering light and fluid choreography underscore the magnetic tension between the two artists, who share the same effortless chemistry that powered their previous global hits.
    Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Participants will apply traditional Japanese colors to ultra-thin, nearly translucent silk, painting not only from the front but also experimenting with urazaishiki, or reverse-side coloring, as well as delicate gradation techniques.
    The Editors of ARTnews, ARTnews.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The Year of Perfect Skin, for instance, was more than an example of self-centeredness, more than an effort to turn my face translucent, luminous as a moonstone set in silver prongs.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Kitch-iti-kipi gets its crystalline water straight from the earth—more than 10,000 gallons of it every minute.
    Savannah Born, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Another image showed clear plastic bags containing a crystalline substance authorities identified as methamphetamine.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Transparent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/transparent. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster