as in to trim
to make neat
neatened the living room in anticipation of company
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Recent Examples of neaten
Lightly cut them back by one-third to remove dead or damaged foliage, encourage new growth, and neaten their appearance if needed.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2025
Several people milled around, neatening the area, touching up Cage’s makeup.
—Susan Orlean, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2025
To neaten up the drawer, use clear or white plastic magazine or file holders nestled side by side to hold boxes and packages of frozen foods.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025
Use a curl-specific hair gel to neaten and smooth each side, applying a small amount down each section to be twisted.
—Dory Zayas, Parents, 26 July 2024
Fringes usually require neatening up every two to three weeks, and helpfully, many hairdressers offer free fringe trims in between salon visits.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 31 May 2024
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2025
Several people milled around, neatening the area, touching up Cage’s makeup.
—Susan Orlean, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2025
To neaten up the drawer, use clear or white plastic magazine or file holders nestled side by side to hold boxes and packages of frozen foods.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025
Use a curl-specific hair gel to neaten and smooth each side, applying a small amount down each section to be twisted.
—Dory Zayas, Parents, 26 July 2024
Fringes usually require neatening up every two to three weeks, and helpfully, many hairdressers offer free fringe trims in between salon visits.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 31 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for neaten
Verb
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Hachimura helped the Lakers stay the course after their lead was trimmed to two points with 27 seconds left.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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Officials say the goats will practically climb over each other to reach them, turning bush-trimming into a competitive sport.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The $720-million structure will serve as the new home for LACMA’s permanent collection with 90 exhibition galleries organized thematically rather than by medium or chronology.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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More people have to organize to ensure that their communities understand what the votes actually count towards.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors claim Sainz Salazar served as a key fentanyl producer for the Chapitos from about 2022 through 2025, helping manufacture millions of pills, arranging drug transactions under armed protection and operating labs that later became central to the group’s fentanyl production.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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Mustique also has a small hotel, Cotton House, where 17 guest rooms and suites are arranged between a two-story building and a series of garden cottages.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Neaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neaten. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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