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
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.
Adjective
Rows and rows of spacious houses with yards, everything new, tidy as can be imagined, with elegant transportation to and from the workplace right there—all for working people. Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025 DeGrom earned all of it with seven tidy innings in an 8-3 victory that showed why the Rangers have mounted an unlikely playoff push while the Mets might be blowing their chance. Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
Mercury’s entrance to Virgo has you in the mood to tidy up and organize. Usa Today, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025 LinkLife 6-Piece Food Storage Containers This six-piece set of food storage containers will tidy up your disorganized pantry in minutes. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tidy

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tidy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tidy. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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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