1
as in spotless
free from dirt or stain
although the soccer team always starts out with clean uniforms, they don't stay that way for long
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in legal
following or according to the rules
a clean check from the other hockey player
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3
as in pure
free from any trace of the coarse or indecent
only clean songs will be permitted for the performances on the last night of summer camp
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in thorough
trying all possibilities
police made a clean sweep of the area before the governor's arrival
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5
as in simple
having no exceptions or restrictions
the clean joy of running that young children experience
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6
as in devoid
lacking contents that could or should be present
the ship returned with a clean hold
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1
as in to wipe
to remove the dirt from
we cleaned the clothes before donating them to charity
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2
as in to remove
to take the internal organs out of
cleaned the rabbit before cooking it
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1
as in legally
according to the rules or the law
a boxer who doesn't fight clean
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2
as in completely
to a full extent or degree
the thief got clean away
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clean
Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 25 Feb. 2026
Designed with a double-breasted blazer construction, the blazer featured a slim, waist-defining fit with a clean, collarless double-breasted silhouette.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
Cody Godwin, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
Run a gentle or delicate cycle and use hot water to thoroughly clean any lingering lint.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Feb. 2026
Gannon Burgett, Car and Driver, 28 Mar. 2023
These services sell carbon credits offered by NGOs and governments that, using offset proceeds, plant mangroves, distribute clean-burning stoves, preserve grasslands, and install digesters to capture cooking gas from manure among other types of projects.
—Time, 21 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for clean
Adjective
The clean beauty movement has led to some claims that mineral oil and petroleum in skincare products are harmful.
—Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 25 Feb. 2026
Designed with a double-breasted blazer construction, the blazer featured a slim, waist-defining fit with a clean, collarless double-breasted silhouette.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
Litter boxes can quickly make a room smell, dirty litter needs to be cleaned daily and loose litter can scatter outside the box.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
Run a gentle or delicate cycle and use hot water to thoroughly clean any lingering lint.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Feb. 2026
Adverb
Natural Gas: Natural gas is a clean-burning fuel source that is generally less expensive than other fuels.
—Gannon Burgett, Car and Driver, 28 Mar. 2023
These services sell carbon credits offered by NGOs and governments that, using offset proceeds, plant mangroves, distribute clean-burning stoves, preserve grasslands, and install digesters to capture cooking gas from manure among other types of projects.
—Time, 21 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for clean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean
Adjective
-
In Ray’s bare-bones house, spotless and white and lacking any of the familiar comforts that make Colin’s life with his parents so cozy, there is a guy who reads contemporary auto-fiction who needs little reading glasses to do so.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
-
While the desk was buried under enough layers of books to qualify as an archaeological site, the area around the state-of-the-art sound system on the opposite wall was spotless.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Earlier Wednesday, Ellison held a news conference to promote legislation that would give his office more staff and new legal tools to combat Medicaid fraud.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The Justice Department Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) lost more than 400 legal assistants, attorney advisers and legal administrative specialists, according to data NPR obtained and verified.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And the Cubists picked up on that in the twentieth century and abstracted from his landscapes, making pure Cubist constructions in which the optical space on the canvas—very similar to Cezanne’s—was composed of little abstract blocks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The show traces the evolution of Armani Privé since its Paris debut in 2005, highlighting pure lines, precious fabrics and jewel-like embroidery.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This time, the adults were more thorough, calling out Hazel’s name, four flashlights pointing together at any promising sign.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Central to that success was their 15-page engineering portfolio, a thorough document capturing their engineering journey and detailing every aspect of their team and robot.—
Dawn Giangiulio,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Olive oil is also used to dress simple salads, roasted vegetables, and a host of other dishes.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Others have argued that the game represents a simple life that is becoming harder to obtain.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.—
Michael Abbott,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
-
That devoid ingredient hindered things exponentially.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Feb. 2024
Verb
-
Experts have a long history of torturing us with predictions about how technology will wipe us out, first our jobs and then just getting rid of us altogether because humans are a bother.—
Peter Cappelli,
Fortune,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Then wipe it away and buff with paper towels.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Under the settlement, Buckfire agreed to remove all references to race as eligibility or selection criteria and clarify that its scholarships do not give preference to any student based on race or ethnicity.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The database does not make clear which of the plaques, maps, films and books ultimately will be removed or recast by the Interior Department, though some have already been axed.—
Karin Brulliard,
Arkansas Online,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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