1
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
2
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
The team is now showing resolve against the West’s clear-cut No. 1, limiting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander down the stretch and winning the clutch minutes with unshakable cool (Russell Westbrook is a celebratory yeller, fine, but these guys are a chill bunch overall).
—
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 May 2025
But without clear-cut guidance, most feel like wading through a thousand haystacks.
—Phillimon Zongo, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
Since spring ended, the Canes did not add an elite starting safety, a veteran defensive tackle or a clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver (Syracuse slot player Trebor Pena, who was arguably the best receiver in the portal, visited Miami but opted for Penn State).
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 May 2025
In reality, a person’s motives are never so clear-cut.
—Allie Volpe, Vox, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for clear-cut
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 May 2025
But without clear-cut guidance, most feel like wading through a thousand haystacks.
—Phillimon Zongo, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
Since spring ended, the Canes did not add an elite starting safety, a veteran defensive tackle or a clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver (Syracuse slot player Trebor Pena, who was arguably the best receiver in the portal, visited Miami but opted for Penn State).
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 May 2025
In reality, a person’s motives are never so clear-cut.
—Allie Volpe, Vox, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for clear-cut
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clear-cut
Adjective
-
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines told Newsweek the most obvious impact from the smoke would be hazy skies, which could contribute to visually beautiful sunrises and sunsets in the affected areas.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
-
But in terms of the excitement and electricity, the parallels between Verlander and Skubal are obvious.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
Adjective
-
As with early shōnen-ai, tales that explored explicit physical attraction between girls tended to end in tragedy.—
Vrai Kaiser,
Them.,
30 May 2025
-
What To Know The tech mogul entered politics last year with the explicit purpose of getting Trump elected for a second term as president, spending more than $75 million in the process.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Perhaps more than any other genre, the evolution of punk rock (both in Los Angeles and around the world) is never more apparent than in the age range of bands at music festivals.—
Josh Chesler,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2025
-
That license is currently set to expire on May 27, but sources indicate it may now be extended by 60 days — an apparent diplomatic concession aimed at easing tensions and fostering future cooperation.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
21 May 2025
Adjective
-
There’s a definite purity-politics flavor to any suggestion that people should take a moral stand and leave a social network, but also a pretty airtight case to be made for boycotting it.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
23 May 2025
-
In unaided awareness, total awareness, definite interest, Final Reckoning is ahead of 2023’s Dead Reckoning which did $54.6M over three days in what was a $78.4M five-day total.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
21 May 2025
Adjective
-
Beyond the physical abuse, Cassie endured a steady drumbeat of insidious threats that sent an unmistakable message: the violence could escalate at any moment.—
Lauren Hersh,
New York Daily News,
21 May 2025
-
The unmistakable message: in Welch’s House of Representatives, Democratic moderates who think for themselves and question their own party’s orthodoxies are unwelcome.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
19 May 2025
Adjective
-
Crypto Confidential: Forbes' definitive guide to crypto and blockchain, delivered to your inbox every Saturday.—
Charles Lloyd Bovaird II,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
-
Performed by the Wiener Symphoniker (Vienna Symphony Orchestra), this definitive anthem of space and sci-fi will be transmitted towards NASA's Voyager 1 probe by ESA's 35-meter Deep Space Antenna in Cebreros, Spain.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
However the trade war ends, the message from American industry is clear: there can be no going back to the pre-Trump U.S.-China economic relationship.—
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 May 2025
-
What exactly the Shoreline plan would replace is not entirely clear.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
But more commonly it's used to refer to the specific specialized planes — currently Boeing 747-200B models — outfitted with state-of-the-art communications and defense systems, along with lots of other (often highly classified) features.—
Kat Lonsdorf,
NPR,
21 May 2025
-
By continually adapting to each user’s specific needs, Dysolve’s AI not only identifies these errors but also actively retrains the brain, enhancing the user’s capacity to process and interpret language.—
Ray Ravaglia,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clear-cut.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clear-cut. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share