as in tidy
being clean and in good order
a distinguished-looking gentleman with a kempt beard and an old-world manner
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Recent Examples of kempt
The creeping ivy of rap had crawled over their white picket fences, across their kempt green lawns, and around their Victorian homes, weakening the old walls between cultures.
—
Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 5 June 2023
The whole place is well kempt.
—Amanda Walker, al, 15 Aug. 2020
There was a whiff of mystery, a sense that something more was going on behind those well-kempt exteriors.
—Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, 9 Feb. 2018
Silence your internal neat freak A well-kempt garden is the toad’s worst enemy.
—Molly Marquand, Good Housekeeping, 16 May 2017
A well-kempt courtyard for visitors conceals the prison’s overcrowding—stuffed to nine times its capacity with up to 250 women sharing a cell.
—National Geographic, 19 Oct. 2016
Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 5 June 2023
The whole place is well kempt.
—Amanda Walker, al, 15 Aug. 2020
There was a whiff of mystery, a sense that something more was going on behind those well-kempt exteriors.
—Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, 9 Feb. 2018
Silence your internal neat freak A well-kempt garden is the toad’s worst enemy.
—Molly Marquand, Good Housekeeping, 16 May 2017
A well-kempt courtyard for visitors conceals the prison’s overcrowding—stuffed to nine times its capacity with up to 250 women sharing a cell.
—National Geographic, 19 Oct. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kempt
Adjective
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Keep the space tidy with a storage bench — which also functions as seating or a makeshift tabletop.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
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Contact Professionals Taking steps to keep your garden clean and tidy and doing your best to deter tick hosts should help to naturally reduce tick problems.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 June 2026
Adjective
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And after what is now the fifth-longest scoreless innings streak in MLB history ended, a neat moment ensued when the crowd at Citizens Bank Park gave Sánchez an extended standing ovation.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2026
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Making sure your garage, kitchen, closet, dresser drawers, and bathroom are neat and tidy and free of clutter can feel like a full-time job.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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No trim, surface, picture frame, vase, or lamp goes unnoticed in this North Carolina mountain cottage, where a distinct color palette and a strong undercurrent of whimsy tie together each room in Elizabeth and Alex Brooks’ home.—
Ella Field,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 June 2026
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Nightshade Edition models are the most stylish of the trim options, adding a trim-exclusive color and exterior touches.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kempt. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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