CLEAR-CUT Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

clear-cut

adjective

ˈklir-ˈkət

Definition of clear-cut

as in obvious

not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation a clear-cut case of plagiarism that resulted in her immediate dismissal

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in explicit

so clearly expressed as to leave no doubt about the meaning clear-cut instructions that even an idiot should be able to follow

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 clear-cut What the heat dome means for wildfire activity in the West is less clear-cut. — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 8 July 2026 For the advertisers, however, the strategy appears less clear-cut. — Shann Biglione, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 In a few short decades every forest in Pennsylvania—and nearly the entirety of eastern North America—would be clear-cut and transformed into a wasteland of stumps. — Literary Hub, 10 June 2026 Welcome to the postelection vote-count slog in California, where tight races are often impossible to call even when the initial results seem clear-cut. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for clear-cut

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clear-cut

Adjective

His first season with Bayern Munich, after leaving Liverpool in summer 2023, brought decent numbers but obvious tactical issues, leading to a sale to Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia for nearly the same fee a year later.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Film noir is the most obvious one, and much of the episode takes both its visual cues and its tone from classic noir.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of obvious

Adjective

That strategy—adding explicit advice to the reassurance—may be the fix that allows doctors both to reassure and persuade patients to stick with a treatment protocol.

— Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 14 Aug. 2026
However, the law avoids explicit mention of colonialism, effectively broadening its scope.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of explicit

Adjective

The note briefly displayed in court Thursday offered jurors in Clancy’s triple-murder trial perhaps their best glimpse yet at the Massachusetts mother’s apparent perspective on her own struggle with mental health leading up to the killings.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
As students returned to campuses earlier this week to begin a new school year, the district’s worst-case scenario has not come to pass, although its apparent financial reprieve remains fragile.

— Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of apparent

Adjective

Her strength, warmth, generosity, and unmistakable personality left a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know her.

— Harry Harris, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
In the mid-1970s, Slash’s mother, the costume designer Ola Hudson, worked on the American production of The Rocky Horror Show, whose Frank-N-Furter is the unmistakable touchstone of Bourzgui’s David, down to the depraved purr.

— Sarah Grant, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of unmistakable

Adjective

Two autopsies have been conducted, but neither have yielded a definitive public explanation for Nolan’s manner of death.

— Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
But a separate count by Colombia’s National Institute of Legal Medicine illustrates the continuing difficulty of establishing a definitive death toll.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of definitive

Adjective

As the plane descends, a lush landscape of verdant mountains that flow down into charming villages, beaches, and the crystal-clear waters beyond appears.

— Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
Four of the eight resulted in gains and four in losses, underscoring the lack of a clear directional signal.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of clear

Adjective

In the comics, a Lantern’s ring has several powers in the ballpark of creating physical objects out of light and pure will, but none of them to date — save for John, in one specific story — have been able to store someone’s consciousness.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
While Comer didn’t give a specific location where the breakdown occurred, daytime temperatures in the South China Sea in late July averaged between 89 degrees and 98 degrees Fahrenheit (32 to 37 Celsius), weather records show.

— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of specific

Browse Nearby Words

clearances

clear-cut

cleared

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“Clear-cut.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clear-cut. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of clear-cut

adjective

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