clean slate

noun

: a person's record (as from a school or a job) that shows no evidence of any problems, broken rules, etc. : a clean record
Everyone who comes to this school starts with a clean slate.

Examples of clean slate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Because that’s where the businessman married Vanessa Haydon back in 2005, and Anderson may want a clean slate. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026 John Restivo was more of a clean slate. Mary Murphy, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026 Rickea Jackson was looking for a clean slate. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026 But Disney’s Bob Iger learned the hard way the importance of giving successors a clean slate. Diane Brady, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for clean slate

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clean slate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clean%20slate. Accessed 11 May. 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