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

Relevance

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 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 The debate over exterior lighting is not clear-cut; factors such as energy use, security concerns, placement, and even local wildlife come into play. — Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2026 But other experts say the apparent discovery may not be so clear-cut. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 13 May 2026 Ordinarily, the advice would be to rip up your team to triple-up on the clubs with two fixtures, but this time around, things maybe aren’t as clear-cut. — Holly Shand, New York Times, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for clear-cut

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clear-cut

Adjective

Happy Gilmore is another obvious inspiration (even without the Netflix of it all) whenever Lonnie throws his clubs, talks to his ball, and calls on fans to chant his name before taking a swing.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
That particular prompt may have been rejected for an obvious reason, though.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2026

Definition of obvious

Adjective

Meta’s decision to disable the Muse Image ability to tap into Instagram accounts without explicit permission defuses a layer of tension within the AI space just as another one emerged.

— Corbin Bolies, Variety, 10 July 2026
Boards need to ask whether the organization has an explicit, board-visible mapping from model uncertainty to physical action authority.

— Anjana Susarla, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026

Definition of explicit

Adjective

Still Clinton, deep down, did not think that voters would give the majority of their votes to Trump and the reasons were numerous and quite apparent – at least to the Democrats.

— Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 10 July 2026
Still, many categories saw the same familiar faces show up, and there’s perhaps nowhere where that’s more apparent than the Animated Series lineup.

— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 10 July 2026

Definition of apparent

Adjective

That would be the definite masterpiece that’s difficult for anyone to surpass.

— Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
The publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking—unlikely, possible, definite, indefinite, cancelled, then actual—makes As Always, Julia intensely suspenseful.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026

Definition of definite

Adjective

The letter of intent remains non-binding, and there is no guarantee the parties will reach a definitive agreement.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026
For an album that feels like a major artistic statement, almost none of the songs have a single definitive version.

— Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026

Definition of definitive

Adjective

While there does still seem to be a clear advantage — in five of the past seven finals, the team playing their semi-final first has won — there have at least been two examples of the eventual champions coming from the second semi-final.

— Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Fort Worth city officials say the goal is to create rules that protect neighborhoods while setting clear standards for future data center development.

— Ken Molestina, CBS News, 14 July 2026

Definition of clear

Browse Nearby Words

clearances

clear-cut

cleared

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Clear-cut.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clear-cut. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of clear-cut

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

quid pro quo

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes