clean
/kliːn/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Free from dirt, marks, or unwanted material. A clean place, object, or surface looks neat and fresh.
- Please keep your shoes clean.
- The kitchen is clean now.
- She wore a clean shirt.
verb
To remove dirt, dust, or mess from something. It can also mean to make something neat or ready to use.
- I need to clean my room.
- She cleaned the table after dinner.
- They clean the office every morning.
adjective
Not containing harmful, illegal, or bad things. This is often used for food, records, sports, or behaviour.
- The test came back clean.
- He has a clean driving record.
- The player made a clean tackle.
Adinary Nuance
Clean is broader than neat. Use clean for no dirt, no bad records, or no harmful things; use neat for tidy order. It is also stronger than tidy when you mean actually washed or made free from mess.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- sạch
- Spanish
- limpio
- Chinese
- 干净
- Japanese
- きれい
- Korean
- 깨끗한
Etymology
Old English clyne and clæne meant “pure” or “clear.” The word has kept the idea of being free from dirt, damage, or bad things.
Common phrases
clean upclean and tidyclean slateclean bill of health
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between clean and neat?
- Clean means free from dirt or bad things. Neat means arranged in an orderly way.
- Can clean be used for people?
- Yes. It can describe a person’s clothes, hands, or appearance as free from dirt.
- Is clean a formal word?
- No. It is a very common everyday word, and it also appears in academic and business writing.
- What does a clean record mean?
- It means there are no crimes, problems, or bad marks in someone's record.