neat

noun

\ˈnēt

plural neat or neats

Definition of neat

(Entry 1 of 3)

: the common domestic bovine (Bos taurus)

neat

adjective

Definition of neat (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : free from dirt and disorder : habitually clean and orderly kept her room neat

2a : free from admixture or dilution (see dilute entry 1 sense 3) : straight neat brandy neat cement

b : free from irregularity : smooth neat silk

3 : marked by tasteful simplicity a neat outfit

4a : precise, systematic mathematics … retains the neat exactness of the surgeon's knife— Bertrand Russell

b : marked by skill or ingenuity : adroit a neat trick

5 : net neat profit

6 informal : very pleasant, fun, or enjoyable : wonderful, excellent —used as a generalized term of enthusiastic approval had a neat time!What a neat idea!We met some neat people at the party.

neat

adverb

Definition of neat (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : in a neat manner his hair combed back neat— J. M. Cain

2 : without admixture or dilution : straight

Other Words from neat Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about neat

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Choose the Right Synonym for neat

Adjective

neat, tidy, and trim mean showing care and a concern for order. neat is used when something is clean in addition to being orderly. Your clothes should always be neat. tidy is used for something that is continually kept orderly and neat. I work hard to keep my room tidy. trim is used when something is orderly and compact. They live in trim, comfortable houses.

Examples of neat in a Sentence

Adjective

He keeps his apartment neat and clean. The store is always busy but they manage to keep the shelves stocked and neat. a nice neat pile of magazines Fold the paper to make a neat edge. a neat man who always wore a suit He's got a neat way of memorizing information. There is, unfortunately, no neat solution to the problem. She's a neat person who has traveled a lot.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The first movie took creative liberties and tied everything up in a neat bow, presumably in case a second one wasn't in the cards. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Everything We Know About the To All the Boys I've Loved Before Sequel," 27 Nov. 2018 This latest ensemble ties those two fashion ideas together in one neat package. — Edward Barsamian, Vogue, "Meghan Markle Wears Her Most Daring Look Yet to See Hamilton in London," 29 Aug. 2018 Marty took great pride in his caring for his home and lawn, always keeping it neat. — courant.com, "Martin B. Courneen," 8 July 2018 Ultimately all of those piecemeal bills will be wrapped up into one neat package to be sent to the Senate. — Colby Itkowitz, Washington Post, "The Health 202: Congress tackles Medicaid rule in effort to dent opioid crisis," 18 June 2018 Buy Photo The coconut rice had peanuts and an egg, wrapped into a neat package in a banana leaf with crunchy anchovies, hot chili paste, and rich, warm spices. — Allison Steele, Philly.com, "Learning culture through food at Sanctuary Suppers," 3 May 2018 This condensed program presents the best of the best in one neat little package. — Trevor Fraser, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Florida Film Festival: 3 things to do April 15," 15 Apr. 2018 Great news for the fastidiously neat among us: Cleaning your home at least once a week is a great way to get rid of allergens such as pollen, dust mites, and mold spores, according to the AAAAI. — Colleen Stinchcombe, SELF, "13 Ways to Triumph Over Fall Allergies," 13 Nov. 2018 There is no neat moderate-versus-progressive takeaway here, despite pundits’ best efforts. — Zack Beauchamp, Vox, "The strange argument that Democrats actually lost the midterms, debunked," 9 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'neat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for neat

Noun

Middle English neet, from Old English nēat; akin to Old High German nōz head of cattle, Old English nēotan to make use of, Lithuanian nauda use

Adjective

Middle French net, from Latin nitidus bright, neat, from nitēre to shine; probably akin to Middle Irish níam luster

Adverb

see neat entry 2

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