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
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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
New Atlas, 18 Feb. 2026
And yet—these storylines are often the clearest and cleanest way for tens of millions of people to simultaneously make sense of and appreciate a famous athlete’s journey through life.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 18 Feb. 2026
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Feb. 2026
Wooden’s home is now decorated with a pyramid of poop, and one wonders how many humiliations will be required to convince administrators to clean things up.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 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
That design ethos translates inside, too, where a clean, modern cabin centers around a 14-inch touchscreen and soft-touch materials highlighted by customizable ambient lighting.
—New Atlas, 18 Feb. 2026
And yet—these storylines are often the clearest and cleanest way for tens of millions of people to simultaneously make sense of and appreciate a famous athlete’s journey through life.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
At-home dry cleaning kits can help to keep them clean between visits, but cleaning fur and leather coats is best left to professionals.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Feb. 2026
Wooden’s home is now decorated with a pyramid of poop, and one wonders how many humiliations will be required to convince administrators to clean things up.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 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
-
Mike lives a lonely life seemingly devoid of any interiority, working for an over-the-hill crime boss known as Money (Nick Nolte), whom Mike has managed to piss off with his less-than-spotless latest burglary.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Proper ventilation and weekly deep cleaning further reduce mold and grime, keeping your shower fresh and spotless.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Another worry is that if AI succeeds in creating tools to do complicated tasks more cheaply, companies in industries as far flung as software and legal services and trucking logistics could see their businesses get undercut.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Meyer’s first title with the MLBPA was senior director of collective bargaining and legal.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
California lifestyle If the architecture and location are pure aspirational California living, the Instagram campaign is something else entirely.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
21 Feb. 2026
-
And in one of Fennell’s wildest edits, pure-hearted girl next door Isabella Linton (Alison Oliver) becomes a scary-horny savant à la Emma Stone in Poor Things, with a fabulous voodoo dollhouse and a questionably consensual taste for S&M.—
Anna Gaca,
Pitchfork,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings.—
Keith Caulfield,
Billboard,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Hopefully after some thorough waterings, the plant will bounce back and nothing else is involved.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That simple sentiment distills what being a Louisianan is about.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
No doubt history would be very different if a citizen’s duty was simple obeyance.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
18 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
-
Few analysts, presumably, expect AI to wipe the company out.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Using the sponge, gently wipe or blot the entire boot with circular motions.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The trooper then removed Jackson from the vehicle.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Jailbreaking in this context refers to a process that removes software restrictions placed on a piece of hardware.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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