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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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Modern design requires clean lines and uncluttered space, so avoid going overboard with decor and accessories.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 29 Apr. 2026
Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
Isabella Flores is a cleaning expert and professional organizer at Sparkly Maid San Diego.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 1 May 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
Countries are racing to install renewables and other clean tech, particularly after the Iran war caused the second major global energy shock in five years, exposing fossil fuel supply vulnerability.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Modern design requires clean lines and uncluttered space, so avoid going overboard with decor and accessories.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
Should cleaning products be treated the same way?
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
Isabella Flores is a cleaning expert and professional organizer at Sparkly Maid San Diego.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 1 May 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
-
The club, with nearly 1,500 local members and a waitlist, features Technogym equipment, spotless changing rooms, 5 studios offering more than 100 weekly group classes, a rock climbing wall (including several auto-belay routes), and a juice bar.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 May 2026
-
Any unwanted fact or unpleasant experience is swiftly erased by the sheep’s wilfully short memories — only veteran merino Mopple (Chris O’Dowd) is unable to share in this collective spotless mind, carrying the knowledge that his cohorts have blithely shed.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Issue One, an advocacy group tracking redistricting nationwide, said changing maps for 2026 could be difficult because many states have already held primaries and legal challenges would place significant obstacles before the general election.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Other states have to confront the unprecedented possibility of revising maps even as voters are casting ballots or the legal process of declaring intent to run for office has concluded.—
Nicholas Riccardi,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
To restore wage mobility and top-line household revenue, organizations need to unfreeze hiring and transition their AI strategies from pure human substitution to human augmentation.—
Katica Roy,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
-
Consider any positivity that comes from the Oklahoma City series as pure gravy.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
The bureau recommends logistics companies take thorough security measures like independently verifying shipment requests and pickups using secondary methods prior to releasing any loads, as well as implementing multi-channel verification for identities.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
2 May 2026
-
Detectives with the police department investigated the fraud through a thorough review of the chamber’s financial records.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
July 23 – August 22 Clarity today comes from keeping your message simple and grounded.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Brown said Atlanta was taking away the Knicks’ spray game, which made the answer simpler.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
On Thursday afternoon, at least two of the parishes marked for closure stood silent and seemingly devoid of activity.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
To be fair, Saturday’s Kentucky Derby field isn’t entirely devoid of notable nomenclature.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For some homeowners, their return signals an all-out battle, with sprays, tools and weekend hours spent trying to wipe them from the lawn for good.—
Ryan Brennan,
Sacbee.com,
1 May 2026
-
Rinse with warm water, then wipe dry.—
Kate Van Pelt,
The Spruce,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
On the Met steps, Osaka opened her dress and removed her headpiece for a grand reveal underneath.—
Beatrice Dupuy,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
-
While the salt helps with debris and odor, soap and warm water help to remove more residue and bacteria.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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