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"Clean" means free of dirt; "clear" means free of obstacles, confusion, or visual impurities.
Side-by-side comparison
"Clean" means free from dirt or stains. The opposite of dirty. "A clean shirt" = a shirt without dirt or marks.
Please clean the kitchen before the guests arrive.
His record is clean, no criminal charges ever.
Make sure you have a clean shirt for the interview.
"Clear" means transparent, unobstructed, or free from confusion. It does not describe dirt but the absence of obstacles, clouds, or confusion.
The road is clear. We can leave now.
Is everything clear? Any questions before we start?
The sky was clear and we could see all the stars.
Common mistake
"The explanation was clean" when you mean it was easy to understand is wrong. Correct: "the explanation was clear". "Clean" is for physical dirt or impurity; "clear" is for obstacles, visibility, and comprehension.
Trick to remember it
- •Dirt or impurity problem? "Clean".
- •Obstacle, visibility, or confusion problem? "Clear".
- •The sky can be "clear" (no clouds) but not "clean".
- •A window can be "clean" (no fingerprints) and "clear" (transparent) at the same time.
Quick rule
- •"Clean" = no dirt, free of contamination.
- •"Clear" = no obstacles, understandable, transparent.
Did you know?
"Clean" comes from Proto-Germanic "klainja" (pure, delicate). Both words ended up describing the absence of something negative (dirt / obstacles), but through completely different etymological paths. "Clear" has very rich idiomatic expressions: "clear your throat", "clear your mind", "the coast is clear", none of which use "clean".
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
I need to _____ the table before we can eat. There are books and papers everywhere.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The kitchen is really dirty. Let's _____ it before the guests arrive.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
"Actually" corrects or contrasts an assumption; "really" intensifies or confirms.
"Bother" is to annoy or trouble emotionally; "disturb" is to interrupt or unsettle.
"Noise" is unwanted or formless sound; "sound" is any acoustic signal, pleasant or not.
"Above" is at a higher level without contact; "over" implies covering, movement, or crossing.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy