neatening

present participle of neaten

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 neatening If your shrub is mostly dead at the bottom, try shaping it into an attractive tree form by removing lower limbs and neatening the top. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026 Several people milled around, neatening the area, touching up Cage’s makeup. Susan Orlean, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for neatening
Verb
  • Three-year programs typically work by reducing the credit requirement from 120 down to 90 or 100, largely by trimming general education requirements, open electives, and the room for a double major or a semester abroad.
    Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • And trimming too much of this plant can make the tree appear stunted or uneven.
    Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 30 July 2026
Verb
  • The organizing committee said earlier this week that 12 million people have registered.
    Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • Most enterprises have data spread across dozens of platforms, and each one has its own way of storing, organizing and granting access to that data.
    Michel Tricot, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Verb
  • Soon, a dozen volunteers gathered under the banner, arranging themselves according to height, like youngsters poised for a class portrait.
    Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2026
  • Police footage featured in The Idaho Murders shows responding officers escorting Murphy out of the house and arranging for him to be taken to Animal Services.
    Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 29 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Neatening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neatening. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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