cleanliness

noun

clean·​li·​ness ˈklen-lē-nəs 

: the quality or state of being clean : the practice of keeping oneself or one's surroundings clean

Though a stale remark, it can hardly be said too often, that personal cleanliness is one of the necessary agents to health …

—Walt Whitman

The Romans spent hours at their elaborate bathhouse complexes, but not everyone equated cleanliness with virtue …

—Sara Ivry

This cleanliness is necessary to ensure that no dust or particles end up on the silicon surface during the processing of the chip.

—Robert J. Cone

Examples of cleanliness in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While the centers were cited for safety, cleanliness and other issues, there was no recorded evidence of fraud. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025

There’s less of a chance for resentment when we’re both invested in our household’s cleanliness. —Jenny Hughes, The Spruce, 30 Dec. 2025

According to Richardson, how often to wash your towels to maintain cleanliness is the million dollar question—the answer isn't super simple. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2025

And this doesn’t include the little four-facial-expression thingamajigs in airport restrooms that ask you to rank cleanliness by touching them. —Phil Wahba, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cleanliness

• cleanliness is next to godliness