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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Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition Laptop Deal If lugging around a heavyweight laptop is getting you down, a tidy little 5% discount on the sleek Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition might put some spring in your step.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
15 June 2026
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As a fun aside, check out my colleague Don Riddell’s story on why Japan is the tidiest team at every World Cup.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Adjective
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For less than $100 a year, this travel card comes with an annual hotel credit, generous complimentary travel insurance, and neat rewards on dining, online groceries, and travel expenses.—
Katherine Fan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
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Behind them, Lauren Lloyd, 33, visiting from Nashville, sat earnestly scribbling on her wish tag, which was filled from edge to edge with neat script.—
Deborah Vankin,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Both looks are in the same color, both have white trim, and even has similar pocket details.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
13 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 18 Jun. 2026.
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