1
as in pardon
a setting free from a charge of wrongdoing
the clearing of his good name became his obsession
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in opening
to rid the surface of (as an area) from things in the way
the early settlers worked hard to clear the land for crops
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ridding
to set (a person or thing) free of something that encumbers
cleared the woods of brush
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in paying
to give what is owed for
finally cleared the last debt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in emptying
to remove the contents of
cleared a drawer so there would be a place to store his clothes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in filtering
to remove usually visible impurities from
cleared the car windows
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in freeing
to set free from entanglement or difficulty
cleared himself of any involvement in the matter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in smoothing
to make passage through (something) possible by removing obstructions
plows promptly cleared the roads of snow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in acquitting
to free from a charge of wrongdoing
she had once been accused of embezzlement, but an investigation by the bank cleared her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in approving
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory
the administration cleared the plan, and building should begin shortly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in removing
to take away from a place or position
cleared the dishes from the table
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in informing
to give information to
please clear my mind about the new arrangement regarding reimbursement for traveling expenses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
as in earning
to receive after charges and deductions have been made
cleared enough from that stock transaction to be able to afford a new luxury automobile
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of clearing
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 21 Apr. 2025
And the fledgling new state needs help clearing mines, unearthing mass graves and collecting evidence for war crimes investigations.
—Lauren Frayer, NPR, 15 Apr. 2025
Alex Bump was stopped on a 3-on-3 break, but BU’s clearing attempt was intercepted by Crusberg-Roseen, who snapped a shot in through a crowd from the right circle.
—John Wawrow, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
The results are palpable: With just one course of isotretinoin, the majority of patients will see a great improvement, and in many cases, a near-complete clearing of acne, Antaya says.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clearing
Noun
The Knights center used his stick to thwart a clearing attempt by Wild defenseman Brock Faber at the side of the net, then grabbed the loose puck and fired it into a tiny gap over Gustavsson’s right shoulder to give the home team the early lead.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 21 Apr. 2025
And the fledgling new state needs help clearing mines, unearthing mass graves and collecting evidence for war crimes investigations.
—Lauren Frayer, NPR, 15 Apr. 2025
Alex Bump was stopped on a 3-on-3 break, but BU’s clearing attempt was intercepted by Crusberg-Roseen, who snapped a shot in through a crowd from the right circle.
—John Wawrow, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
The results are palpable: With just one course of isotretinoin, the majority of patients will see a great improvement, and in many cases, a near-complete clearing of acne, Antaya says.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clearing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clearing
Noun
-
In his first term, Trump did not issue a pardon until August 2017, about half a year after taking office.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Like the more than a hundred political prisoners released under the Vatican deal, Ferrer and Navarro were not given a pardon or amnesty but were released on conditional parole.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Both teams’ trainers joined EMS to get him onto a cart and off the field.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
4 May 2025
-
Patrick, 29, and Brady, 47 — who have a history, both on and off the field — snapped a photo together at the exclusive bash, which was held at Carbone Miami on South Beach.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
3 May 2025
Verb
-
Poolhouse plans on opening its first venue early next year in London.—
Tim Casey,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
In addition, the company operates a café at the airport in Geneva selling food and notebooks, and will be opening others in Paris and Hong Kong.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Tariffs In the week ahead, investors will be buckled up and paying close attention to every twist and turn in the tariff story.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,Matthew J. Belvedere,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2025
-
Real Madrid has avoided paying such substantial fees in recent years, instead acquiring key players like Kylian Mbappé on free transfers.—
Sam Leveridge,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Here’s what that means for your money Despite the change, beneficiaries should weigh strategic IRA withdrawals, depending on tax brackets each year, which could mean emptying accounts sooner, experts say.—
Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Fully exhale each breath, emptying your lungs as much as possible, making your exhales longer than your inhales.—
Dana Santas,
CNN,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Netanyahu regularly cites freeing the hostages as a top priority.—
Alex Marquardt,
CNN Money,
10 Apr. 2025
-
For example, users could give instructions to the agent to finish a series of mundane tasks, freeing the user up to move on to producing a new design or to train themselves on using a new tool or technique.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The Quinnipiac poll also showed that 56 percent of voters disapprove of pausing all military aid to Ukraine, with 70 percent of Republicans approving of such a move.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Dating back to Harry Truman’s administration, every other president started their term with a majority of the country approving of their performance in Gallup polling.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The acids in toner can also act as chemical exfoliants, removing any extra dead skin cells or other debris that might build up.—
Amanda Svachula,
Health,
27 Dec. 2024
-
Start by removing the old hardware using a screwdriver, saving the screws if needed, and clean the surface to remove any residue.—
Perri Ormont Blumberg,
Architectural Digest,
27 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Clearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clearing. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share