How does the adjective clear contrast with its synonyms?
Some common synonyms of clear are limpid, translucent, and transparent. While all these words mean "capable of being seen through," clear implies absence of cloudiness, haziness, or muddiness.
clear water
When could limpid be used to replace clear?
Although the words limpid and clear have much in common, limpid suggests the soft clearness of pure water.
her eyes were limpid pools of blue
When can translucent be used instead of clear?
The synonyms translucent and clear are sometimes interchangeable, but translucent implies the passage of light but not a clear view of what lies beyond.
translucent frosted glass
When would transparent be a good substitute for clear?
While the synonyms transparent and clear are close in meaning, transparent implies being so clear that objects can be seen distinctly.
a transparent sheet of film
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clear
Adjective
Dutch weather woes As snow fell across the Netherlands, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport reported that some 400 flights were grounded as crews worked to clear runways and de-ice planes waiting to depart.—Mike Corder, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026 Supervised by you, just to be clear.—Eddie Small, New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
For one, their weekend in Lake Como was a rainy one, and though the skies cleared for the vows themselves, the reception had to be moved inside a glass marquee.—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026 The rural highway was closed in both directions while the crash was investigated and the wreckage cleared.—Kristina Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Adverb
And then Bednar has been the clear closer option since joining the team at the trade deadline.—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025 The mollusks have filtered most of the lakes, turning them from their old greenish hue, which allowed for only a few feet of visibility, to clear blue.—Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clear
The proximity to Lincoln Center was an obvious draw for musicians, and renters included an avant-garde composer on the sixth floor, a bassist on the fourth, and an opera teacher on the ground level.
—
Will Ellis,
Curbed,
6 Jan. 2026
After successfully training rookie Jackson West, Angela sets her sights on becoming a detective while trying to ignore her obvious chemistry with defense attorney Wesley Evers (Shawn Ashmore).
—
Tanya Melendez,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Jan. 2026
However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Though home blood pressure monitors are effective, a healthcare provider can provide more accurate and conclusive results.
—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
6 Nov. 2025
Despite numerous conclusive assessments that the Saudi regime planned and perpetrated Khashoggi’s murder, the high-level officials who ordered his execution have gone unpunished, six years on.
Through a floor-to-ceiling glass wall, visitors get an unobstructed view into a real spacecraft clean room, where lander models like Peregrine and Griffin (which will one day land on the moon) took shape.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Given sun in just the proper dose, which is no more than three or four hours of direct daily exposure, its innocent look of youth may persist for a decade.
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