clear

[ kleer ]

adjective

, clear·er, clear·est.

1. free from darkness, obscurity, or cloudiness; light:

   a clear day.

   Synonyms: sunny, cloudless, fair

   Antonyms: dark, cloudy

2. transparent; pellucid:

   clear water.

   Synonyms: diaphanous, crystalline, limpid, translucent

3. without discoloration, defect, or blemish: a clear pane of glass.

   a clear complexion;

   a clear pane of glass.

4. of a pure, even color:

   a clear yellow.

5. easily seen; sharply defined:

   a clear outline.

6. distinctly perceptible to the ear; easily heard:

   a clear sound.

7. free from hoarse, harsh, or rasping qualities: clear as a bell.

   a clear voice;

   clear as a bell.

8. easily understood; without ambiguity:

   clear, concise answers.

   Synonyms: perspicuous, plain, lucid, comprehensible, intelligible

   Antonyms: obscure

9. entirely comprehensible; completely understood:

   The ultimate causes of inflation may never be clear.

10. distinct; evident; plain:

    a clear case of misbehavior.

    Synonyms: unmistakable, apparent, manifest, obvious

    Antonyms: obscure

11. free from confusion, uncertainty, or doubt:

    clear thinking.

12. perceiving or discerning distinctly:

    a clear mind.

13. convinced; certain:

    He was not clear on the first point that she made but agreed with the others.

    Antonyms: uncertain

14. free from anything that would disturb or blame:

    a clear conscience.

15. free from suspicion of guilt or complicity:

    She was entirely clear of the crime until one of her accomplices turned informer.

16. serene; calm; untroubled:

    a clear brow.

17. free from obstructions or obstacles; open: a clear path.

    a clear view;

    a clear path.

18. free from entanglement or contact: She managed to keep her dress clear of the mud.

    He kept clear of her after the argument.

    She managed to keep her dress clear of the mud.

    Synonyms: unhampered, unencumbered

19. without limitation or qualification; absolute:

    a clear victory.

20. free from obligation, liability, or debt: Municipal bonds were returning as much as 9 percent, clear of taxes.

    After twenty years, our house is clear of the mortgage.

    Municipal bonds were returning as much as 9 percent, clear of taxes.

21. without deduction or diminution:

    a clear $1000 after taxes.

22. freed or emptied of contents, cargo, etc.
23. (of tree trunks or timber) free from branches, knots, or other protruding or rough parts:

    The trunk was clear for 20 feet above the ground.

24. Phonetics.
    1. (of an l- sound) having front-vowel resonance; situated before a vowel in the same syllable. Compare dark ( def 18a ).
    2. (of a speech sound) produced without frication or aspiration.
25. (in cryptography) not coded or enciphered. Compare plaintext.
26. bright; shining:

    a clear flame.

27. Obsolete. illustrious.

adverb

, clear·er, clear·est.

1. in a clear or distinct manner; clearly.
2. so as not to be in contact with or near; away (often followed by of ):

   Stand clear of the closing doors.

3. Informal. entirely; completely; clean:

   to cut a piece clear off;

   to climb clear to the top;

   to run clear off the road.

verb (used with object)

1. to remove people or objects from (usually followed by of ): to clear the table of dishes.

   to clear a courtroom of photographers;

   to clear the table of dishes.

2. to remove (people or objects) (usually followed by from ): to clear the dishes from the table.

   to clear the photographers from the courtroom;

   to clear the dishes from the table.

3. to make clear, transparent, or pellucid; free from cloudiness or impurities:

   to clear a liquid by means of a filter.

   Synonyms: refine, purify, clarify

4. to make free of confusion, doubt, or uncertainty:

   He spoke to his supervisor to clear his mind about their working relationship.

5. to make understandable or lucid; free from ambiguity or obscurity:

   She rephrased the report in order to clear the essential points.

6. to make (a path, road, etc.) by removing any obstruction:

   He had to cut away the underbrush to clear a path.

7. to eat all the food on:

   to clear one's plate.

8. to relieve (the throat) of some obstruction, as phlegm, by forcing air through the larynx, usually producing a rasping sound.
9. to make a similar rasping noise in (the throat), as to express disapproval or to attract attention.
10. to remove from (the brow) any traces of tension or anxiety, as folds or wrinkles.
11. to free of anything defamatory or discrediting:

    to clear one's name.

12. to free from suspicion, accusation, or imputation of guilt; prove or declare innocent:

    The jury cleared the defendant of the charge.

    Synonyms: excuse, vindicate, absolve, exonerate

13. to remove instructions or data from (a computer, calculator, etc.).
14. to pass by or over without contact or entanglement: The fisherman cleared his line.

    The ship cleared the reef.

    The fisherman cleared his line.

15. to pass through or away from: The bill cleared the Senate.

    The ship cleared the harbor.

    The bill cleared the Senate.

16. to pass (checks or other commercial paper) through a clearinghouse.
17. (of mail, telephone calls, etc.) to process, handle, reroute, etc.:

    The dispatcher clears hundreds of items each day.

18. to free from debt: The widow had to borrow money to clear her husband's estate.

    Just a few dollars more would clear him.

    The widow had to borrow money to clear her husband's estate.

19. to gain as clear profit:

    to clear $1000 in a transaction.

20. to pay (a debt) in full.
21. to receive authorization before taking action on:

    You'll have to clear your plan with headquarters.

22. to give clearance to; authorize:

    The chairperson has to clear our speeches before the meeting.

23. to authorize (a person, agency, etc.) to use classified information, documents, etc.:

    He has finally been cleared for highly classified information.

24. to remove trees, buildings, or other obstructions from (land), as for farming or construction.
25. to free (a ship, cargo, etc.) from legal detention at a port by satisfying customs and other requirements.
26. to try or otherwise dispose of (the cases awaiting court action):

    to clear the docket.

27. (of a commodity) to buy up or sell out the existing supply of.
28. Skin Diving. to drain or expel unwanted water in: to clear a regulator and face mask while underwater.

    to clear a snorkel by sharp exhalations;

    to clear a regulator and face mask while underwater.

29. Bridge. to establish one or more winning cards in (a given suit) by leading the suit until all the outstanding cards have been drawn:

    He cleared the heart suit before attacking spades.

verb (used without object)

1. to become clear.
2. to exchange checks and bills, and settle balances, as in a clearinghouse.
3. to become free from doubt, anxiety, misunderstanding, etc.:

   His mind cleared when he heard the truth.

4. to pass an authority for review, approval, etc.:

   The bill must clear through the assembly before it becomes legal.

5. to remove dishes, food, etc., from a table following a meal:

   Is it my turn to clear?

6. to remove previously inserted instructions or data from a computer, calculator, typewriter, or the like.
7. Nautical.
   1. to comply with customs and other requirements legally imposed on entering or leaving a port (often followed by in or out ).
   2. to leave port after having complied with such requirements.
8. (of a commodity for sale) to sell out; become bought out:

   Wheat cleared rapidly.

noun

1. a clear or unobstructed space.
2. plaintext.
3. a piece of clear lumber.

verb phrase

1. 1. to remove in order to make room.
   2. to leave; escape:

      We were warned to clear off before the floods came.

   3. to disappear; vanish:

      When the smoke cleared away, we saw that the house was in ruins.

2. 1. to make clear; explain; solve.
   2. to put in order; tidy up.
   3. to become better or brighter, as the weather.
3. 1. to remove the contents of:

      Clear out the closet.

   2. to remove; take away:

      Clear out your clothes from the closet.

   3. to go away, especially quickly or abruptly.
   4. to drive or force out:

      The police cleared out the pickets by force.

clear

/ klɪə /

adjective

1. free from darkness or obscurity; bright
2. (of weather) free from dullness or clouds
3. transparent

   clear water

4. even and pure in tone or colour

   clear blue

5. without discoloration, blemish, or defect

   a clear skin

6. easy to see or hear; distinct
7. free from doubt or confusion

   his instructions are not clear

8. postpositive certain in the mind; sure

   are you clear?

9. in combination perceptive, alert

   clear-headed

10. evident or obvious

    it is clear that he won't come now

11. (of sounds or the voice) not harsh or hoarse
12. serene; calm
13. without qualification or limitation; complete

    a clear victory

14. free of suspicion, guilt, or blame

    a clear conscience

15. free of obstruction; open

    a clear passage

16. free from debt or obligation
17. (of money, profits, etc) without deduction; net
18. emptied of freight or cargo
19. (of timber) having a smooth, unblemished surface
20. Alsoin clear (of a message, etc) not in code
21. Alsolight phonetics denoting an (l) in whose articulation the main part of the tongue is brought forward giving the sound of a front-vowel timbre
22. showjumping (of a round) ridden without any fences being knocked down or any points being lost

adverb

1. in a clear or distinct manner
2. completely or utterly
3. postpositiveoften foll byof not in contact (with); free

   stand clear of the gates

noun

1. a clear space
2. another word for clearance
3. in the clear
   1. free of suspicion, guilt, or blame
   2. sport able to receive a pass without being tackled

verb

1. to make or become free from darkness, obscurity, etc
2. intr
   1. (of the weather) to become free from dullness, fog, rain, etc
   2. (of mist, fog, etc) to disappear
3. tr to free from impurity or blemish
4. tr to free from doubt or confusion

   to clear one's mind

5. tr to rid of objects, obstructions, etc
6. tr to make or form (a path, way, etc) by removing obstructions
7. tr to free or remove (a person or thing) from something, such as suspicion, blame, or guilt
8. tr to move or pass by or over without contact or involvement

   he cleared the wall easily

9. tr to rid (the throat) of phlegm or obstruction
10. tr to make or gain (money) as profit
11. troften foll byoff to discharge or settle (a debt)
12. tr to free (a debtor) from obligation
13. intr (of a cheque) to pass through one's bank and be charged against one's account
14. banking to settle accounts by exchanging (commercial documents) in a clearing house
15. to permit (ships, aircraft, cargo, passengers, etc) to unload, disembark, depart, etc, after fulfilling the customs and other requirements, or (of ships, etc) to be permitted to unload, etc
16. to obtain or give (clearance)
17. tr to obtain clearance from
18. tr microscopy to make (specimens) transparent by immersion in a fluid such as xylene
19. tr to permit (a person, company, etc) to see or handle classified information
20. tr military
    1. to achieve transmission of (a signalled message) and acknowledgment of its receipt at its destination
    2. to decode (a message, etc)
21. tr sport to hit, kick, carry, or throw (the ball) out of the defence area
22. tr computing to remove data from a storage device and replace it with particular characters that usually indicate zero
23. tr to remove (trees, scrub, etc) from land
24. clear the air
    See air
25. clear the decks
    to prepare for action, as by removing obstacles from a field of activity or combat

Derived Forms

• ˈclearable, adjective
• ˈclearness, noun
• ˈclearer, noun

Other Words From

• cleara·ble adjective
• clearness noun
• half-clear adjective
• half-clearly adverb
• pre·clear verb (used with object)
• un·clear adjective
• un·clearly adverb
• un·cleara·ble adjective
• un·cleared adjective
• well-cleared adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of clear¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English clere, from Anglo-French, Old French cler, from Latin clārus

Word History and Origins

Origin of clear¹

C13 clere, from Old French cler, from Latin clārus clear, bright, brilliant, illustrious

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in the clear,
   1. absolved of blame or guilt; free:

      He was suspected of the theft, but evidence put him in the clear.

   2. en clair.

More idioms and phrases containing clear

• coast is clear
• free and clear
• have a clear conscience
• in the clear
• loud and clear
• out of a clear blue sky
• see one's way (clear)
• steer clear of

Synonym Study

See clean.

Example Sentences

Southern England, East Anglia, the Midlands and Wales may start the evening with clear skies before clouding over later.

From BBC

Conversely much of Scotland is likely to start off cloudy before skies clear from the north overnight.

From BBC

Nonetheless, Trump made clear his determination to leave his mark on the U.S. armed forces, consisting of about 1.3 million active-duty troops and another 1.4 million serving in the National Guard.

From Los Angeles Times

It is the simplest, most clear way of coming to a true understanding of reality.

From Slate

To be clear, though, it’s not exactly a full-fledged department, or a government agency at all.

From Slate

Related Words

• absolve
• acquit
• clarify
• exonerate
• release