cleanly

1 of 2

adverb

clean·​ly ˈklēn-lē How to pronounce cleanly (audio)
: in a clean manner

cleanly

2 of 2

adjective

clean·​ly ˈklen-lē How to pronounce cleanly (audio)
cleanlier; cleanliest
1
: careful to keep clean : fastidious
2
: habitually kept clean

Examples of cleanly in a Sentence

Adverb A sharp knife will cut through the skin of a tomato cleanly. This fuel burns more cleanly than other fuels.
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.
Adverb
And others agree that unless inflation falls cleanly and recession risks spike, the Fed’s bench-warming strategy will hold. Quartz Staff, Quartz, 13 May 2025 Big Red’s second baseman fielded it cleanly, but threw to second instead of first. Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2025
Adjective
Director Jennifer Chang understands clearly and cleanly which moments need specific tones and moods. David John Chávez, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2025 One major problem is that these delegations are seldom made cleanly. Francis Fukuyama, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2014 See All Example Sentences for cleanly

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cleanly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleanly. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

cleanly

1 of 2 adverb
clean·​ly ˈklēn-lē How to pronounce cleanly (audio)
: in a clean manner

cleanly

2 of 2 adjective
clean·​ly ˈklen-lē How to pronounce cleanly (audio)
cleanlier; cleanliest
1
: careful to keep clean
a cleanly animal
2
: being kept clean by habit
cleanly surroundings
cleanliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cleanly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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