From the doctor's grim expression, it was clear he had somber news for the patient.
Source: tatoeba (1989)
Clear
/klɪə/
Synonyms for "clear" (1499 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (10)
Strong matches (15)
Noun(1 words)
Adjective(10 words)
academic clarityacademic terminologyacademic toneaccessibleaccessible energyaccessible energy storageaccessible materialsaccessible resourcesaccessible textaccurate information
Related words (25)
acquitacuteadmitting no exceptionadriftafieldafloatafoot and lightheartedall abroadall clearall embracingall outall pervadingall straightall-embracingall-encompassingall-outall-pervading
Verb(5 words)
Adjective(2 words)
airieralgal free pond
Adverb(1 words)
all the way
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: clean, exonerated, above water, abroad, absolute.
- evident: 'Evident' is formal and measured, it means the evidence is there for anyone who looks, without the bluntness of 'obvious.'
- Sentence evidence is available for clear, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "clear".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "clear"
Keep "clear" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "clear" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "clear", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "clear" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
How these synonyms differ
- evident - 'Evident' is formal and measured, it means the evidence is there for anyone who looks, without the bluntness of 'obvious.'
- obvious - 'Obvious' implies that something should require no explanation, overusing it can sound condescending.
- plain - 'Plain' strips away ambiguity, plain language, plain truth. It emphasizes directness over elegance.
- transparent - 'Transparent' carries connotations of honesty and openness, especially in institutional or political contexts.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
65 entriesShowing 16 of 65 words.
More specific
15 entriesCollocations
13 entriesclear answerclear conceptclear evidenceclear exampleclear instructionsclear messageclear pathclear resultclear skyclear thinkingclear understandingclear watercrystal-clear
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
9 entriesAntonyms
4 entriessimilar
58 entriesShowing 16 of 58 words.
Translations
13 translations across 7 languages.
Catalan
2 entries- deforestar verb (to fell all trees of a forest)
- desboscar verb (to fell all trees of a forest)
Finnish
1 entries- hakata verb (to fell all trees of a forest)
French
2 entries- déboiser verb (to fell all trees of a forest)
- raser verb (to fell all trees of a forest)
German
1 entries- roden verb (to fell all trees of a forest)
Māori
3 entries- tāwai verb (to fell all trees of a forest)
- waere verb (to fell all trees of a forest)
- whakarake verb (to fell all trees of a forest)
Portuguese
2 entries- desflorestar verb (to fell all trees of a forest)
- desmatar verb (to fell all trees of a forest)
Spanish
2 entries- deforestar verb (to fell all trees of a forest)
- desmontar verb (to fell all trees of a forest)
Sample sentences
89 total sentences available.
At this stage there is still not a clear energy policy for bringing decentralised power to rural areas.
Source: tatoeba (2382)
You must clear the table.
Source: tatoeba (15979)
Clear up your desk a bit.
Source: tatoeba (16220)
Showing 4 of 89 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "clear"?
Closest matches include clean, exonerated, above water, abroad, absolute.
How is "evident" different from "clear"?
'Evident' is formal and measured, it means the evidence is there for anyone who looks, without the bluntness of 'obvious.'
How should I check whether a synonym fits "clear"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.