1
as in pardon
a setting free from a charge of wrongdoing
the clearing of his good name became his obsession
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in opening
to rid the surface of (as an area) from things in the way
the early settlers worked hard to clear the land for crops
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ridding
to set (a person or thing) free of something that encumbers
cleared the woods of brush
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in paying
to give what is owed for
finally cleared the last debt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in emptying
to remove the contents of
cleared a drawer so there would be a place to store his clothes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in filtering
to remove usually visible impurities from
cleared the car windows
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in freeing
to set free from entanglement or difficulty
cleared himself of any involvement in the matter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in smoothing
to make passage through (something) possible by removing obstructions
plows promptly cleared the roads of snow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in acquitting
to free from a charge of wrongdoing
she had once been accused of embezzlement, but an investigation by the bank cleared her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in approving
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory
the administration cleared the plan, and building should begin shortly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in removing
to take away from a place or position
cleared the dishes from the table
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in informing
to give information to
please clear my mind about the new arrangement regarding reimbursement for traveling expenses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
as in earning
to receive after charges and deductions have been made
cleared enough from that stock transaction to be able to afford a new luxury automobile
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 clearing
arkansasonline.com, 5 July 2025
Herron said camp clearings not only force unhoused people into hiding but also cut them off from resources.
—Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
This isn’t the only area where clearing has been done, as crews have been clearing at other locations within this section of the interstate between the Norwood Lateral and Ohio 126 since 2023.
—Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 60 degrees.
—Jake Allen, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for clearing
Noun
Most biologists think that loss of bottomland forest and associated land clearing for agriculture were the main reasons.
—arkansasonline.com, 5 July 2025
Herron said camp clearings not only force unhoused people into hiding but also cut them off from resources.
—Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
This isn’t the only area where clearing has been done, as crews have been clearing at other locations within this section of the interstate between the Norwood Lateral and Ohio 126 since 2023.
—Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 60 degrees.
—Jake Allen, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for clearing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clearing
Noun
-
Collins’s prison sentence began in October 2020, only to be sprung early two months later by Trump’s pardon.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
15 Aug. 2025
-
The pardon erased her conviction and ended her sentence immediately.—
Sarah Jones,
People.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Also worth reading 🏈 Sports: The Lions-Falcons preseason game was suspended in the fourth quarter after Lions defensive back Morice Norris was taken off the field in an ambulance following what appeared to be a neck injury.—
Leah Olajide,
Freep.com,
9 Aug. 2025
-
Sanders returned to the field at the start of the second quarter and delivered a huge touchdown pass to Kaden Davis.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In addition, the company operates a café at the airport in Geneva selling food and notebooks, and will be opening others in Paris and Hong Kong.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Poolhouse plans on opening its first venue early next year in London.—
Tim Casey,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Tariffs In the week ahead, investors will be buckled up and paying close attention to every twist and turn in the tariff story.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,Matthew J. Belvedere,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2025
-
Real Madrid has avoided paying such substantial fees in recent years, instead acquiring key players like Kylian Mbappé on free transfers.—
Sam Leveridge,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Here’s what that means for your money Despite the change, beneficiaries should weigh strategic IRA withdrawals, depending on tax brackets each year, which could mean emptying accounts sooner, experts say.—
Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Fully exhale each breath, emptying your lungs as much as possible, making your exhales longer than your inhales.—
Dana Santas,
CNN,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Netanyahu regularly cites freeing the hostages as a top priority.—
Alex Marquardt,
CNN Money,
10 Apr. 2025
-
For example, users could give instructions to the agent to finish a series of mundane tasks, freeing the user up to move on to producing a new design or to train themselves on using a new tool or technique.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The Quinnipiac poll also showed that 56 percent of voters disapprove of pausing all military aid to Ukraine, with 70 percent of Republicans approving of such a move.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Dating back to Harry Truman’s administration, every other president started their term with a majority of the country approving of their performance in Gallup polling.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The acids in toner can also act as chemical exfoliants, removing any extra dead skin cells or other debris that might build up.—
Amanda Svachula,
Health,
27 Dec. 2024
-
Start by removing the old hardware using a screwdriver, saving the screws if needed, and clean the surface to remove any residue.—
Perri Ormont Blumberg,
Architectural Digest,
27 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Clearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clearing. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share