tidy

1 of 3

adjective

ti·​dy ˈtī-dē How to pronounce tidy (audio)
tidier; tidiest
1
a
: neat and orderly in appearance or habits : well ordered and cared for
b
: methodical, precise
a tidy mind
2
: large, substantial
a tidy profit
3
: adequately satisfactory : acceptable, fair
a tidy solution to their problem
4
: properly filled out : plump
tidily adverb
tidiness noun

tidy

2 of 3

verb

tidied; tidying

transitive verb

: to put in order
tidy up a room

intransitive verb

: to make things tidy
tidying up after supper
tidier noun

tidy

3 of 3

noun

plural tidies
1
: a usually compartmentalized receptacle for various small objects
2
: a piece of fancywork used to protect the back, arms, or headrest of a chair or sofa from wear or soil

Examples of tidy in a Sentence

Adjective He has always been a tidy person. She earns a tidy salary. They paid a tidy sum for the house. Verb I tidied the house before they arrived.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
In January 2024, the tidy work of a Welsh mouse, caught on video cleaning the work bench inside a man’s shed, went viral. Matt Benoit, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 Step 4: Fold upward one more time to create a tidy rectangle, perfect for lining up in a drawer. Hannah Chubb, Peoplemag, 28 Feb. 2024 With its clear, aquamarine waters and powder-soft sand, St. Pete typically falls into a tidy beach vacation that’s only a four-hour drive from Miami. Angela Caraway-Carlton, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024 The tidy ending put a neat bow on what not long ago would have been unfathomable — the N.F.L. putting its marquee event in the country’s gambling capital. Billy Witz, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2024 Two Moons’ gently angular design brief is meant to complement the tidy stage, which will host a variety of genre-specific nights with both up-and-coming and established Denver artists, Soffes said. John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 2 Feb. 2024 They also can be counted on to keep your patio tidy and your kitchen floors debris-free. Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2024 This Coat Rack Brings Order and Style Keep your entryway tidy and stylish with the minimalist Premium Racks wall rack. Katiee McKinstry, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024 While there’s no drawer, these are nice substitutions for helping to keep things tidy around your workspace. Alida Nugent, Peoplemag, 12 Jan. 2024
Verb
Animals who are tidying up could be: Building a nest or shelter Hiding food Creating a barrier against diseases Mating Defending themselves or an area But James C. Ha, an emeritus research professor at the University of Washington, wasn’t surprised to see the Welsh mouse doing its thing. Matt Benoit, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 Sanders, with the help of housing authority case workers, spent years budgeting and tidying her credit before convincing a bank to give her a mortgage. Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Feb. 2024 Maybe while away the time by tidying up your castle? Ed Silverman Reprints, STAT, 9 Feb. 2024 This faux-leather office supplies organizer, which has eight compartments, looks chic and also does a great job at tidying up your desk. Lauren Taylor, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Jan. 2024 Like most mornings, today starts off with a coffee and tidying up around the apartment. Bon Appétit Contributor, Bon Appétit, 11 Jan. 2024 Run the mower over it on its highest setting and tidy the bed up. Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Feb. 2024 Psychologists are revealing reasons and risks behind impulsive tidying after a TikTok trend goes viral. Fox News Staff, Fox News, 1 Feb. 2024 For several months, someone — or something — had been apparently tidying up after the 75-year-old retiree. Isabella Kwai, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2024
Noun
Many of the campers try to keep the property tidy, picking up trash and cutting the grass with a manual push mower. Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Organization is critical to keeping tech tidy and charged, and this stand is the accessory to help with that. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2024 Best Amazon New Year’s Sale Vacuum Deals A new year means keeping the house tidy, and what better way to do so than with a powerful vacuum cleaner? Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 1 Jan. 2024 One of the best ways to keep your home tidy is to clean your floors on a regular basis, and a reliable vacuum makes this achievable. Bridget Degnan, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2023 Compact yet spacious, this all-in-one bag is a travel essential for keeping your tech tidy, keeping you less stressed. Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2023 Keep your home and bedroom space tidy so there are fewer items around that can collect and trap dust. Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 11 July 2023 Whether your closet is a massive walk-in with shelves and drawers galore or a tiny makeshift alternative in the corner of your bedroom, keeping this part of your space tidy is paramount. Jessica Cherner, House Beautiful, 28 Apr. 2023 Brett Cross tidies the memorial for his son, Uziyah Garcia, who was killed in the school massacre. Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 16 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tidy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, timely, in good condition, from tide time

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

1821, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

circa 1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near tidy

Cite this Entry

“Tidy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tidy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tidy

1 of 3 adjective
ti·​dy ˈtīd-ē How to pronounce tidy (audio)
tidier; tidiest
1
: well ordered and cared for
2
: large, substantial
a tidy price

tidy

2 of 3 verb
tidied; tidying
1
: to put in order
tidy up the room
2
: to make things tidy

tidy

3 of 3 noun
plural tidies
: a fancy covering used to protect the back, arms, or headrest of a chair or sofa from wear or soiling

More from Merriam-Webster on tidy

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