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

In addition to the cleanliness award, Starlux also received the Five Star designation from Skytrax for the second time earlier this year. — Scott Laird, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2026

But No Longer Sufficient When organizations talk about preparing data for AI, the conversation often centers on cleanliness and accuracy. — Sunil Padiyar, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Skytrax says the awards measure areas including cabin service, seat comfort, food and beverages, cleanliness, entertainment and other aspects of the passenger experience. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026

Its cleanliness defines the entire room, so don’t allow papers, projects, or miscellaneous items to pile up on its surface. — Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cleanliness

• cleanliness is next to godliness