adj

clean

kleen

adj

Free of dirt, stains, or other unwanted matter.

"She put on a clean shirt before the interview."

"The kitchen counters were spotlessly clean."

Free of drugs, alcohol, or (of a criminal record) offenses.

"He's been clean for three years now."

"She kept a clean driving record for two decades."

Done smoothly and without flaws or errors.

"It was a clean landing despite the crosswind."

verb

To remove dirt from something, or to tidy up a space.

"Can you clean the bathroom before the guests arrive?"

"He spent Saturday cleaning out the garage."

How to Use Clean

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFree of dirt or mess — or, more broadly, free of flaws, drugs, or wrongdoing.

Common mistake

As an adverb ("clean forgot," "hit clean through") it means "completely" — an older, informal usage still common in British English.

Common pairings

clean up clean out squeaky clean clean record clean break

Word Forms

cleaner comparative, cleaner comparative, cleaned past tense, cleans plural, Cleans plural, cleans singular, cleanest superlative, cleanest superlative

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She put on a _____ shirt before the interview.

Etymology

From Old English clǣne, originally meaning "pure" or "shining."

Synonyms

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clean as a bean clean as a hound's tooth clean as a new penny clean as a whistle clean as a new pin immaculate pristine spick-and-span spotless squeaky clean stainless unsoiled

Antonyms

dirty unclean

Related Words

new pristine dirty pure raw excellent innocent immaculate

Rhymes for clean

lean bean wean dean jean Sean mean Kean glean ocean Korean demean

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