1
as in pardon
a setting free from a charge of wrongdoing the clearing of his good name became his obsession
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1
as in opening
to rid the surface of (as an area) from things in the way the early settlers worked hard to clear the land for crops
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2
as in ridding
to set (a person or thing) free of something that encumbers cleared the woods of brush
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3
as in paying
to give what is owed for finally cleared the last debt
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4
as in emptying
to remove the contents of cleared a drawer so there would be a place to store his clothes
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5
as in filtering
to remove usually visible impurities from cleared the car windows
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6
as in freeing
to set free from entanglement or difficulty cleared himself of any involvement in the matter
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7
as in smoothing
to make passage through (something) possible by removing obstructions plows promptly cleared the roads of snow
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8
as in acquitting
to free from a charge of wrongdoing she had once been accused of embezzlement, but an investigation by the bank cleared her
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9
as in approving
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory the administration cleared the plan, and building should begin shortly
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10
as in removing
to take away from a place or position cleared the dishes from the table
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11
as in informing
to give information to please clear my mind about the new arrangement regarding reimbursement for traveling expenses
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12
as in earning
to receive after charges and deductions have been made cleared enough from that stock transaction to be able to afford a new luxury automobile
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of clearing
ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026 What followed was a benches-clearing quarrel between Miller, Sal Stewart and their respective teams, the dramatic conclusion to a two-day saga between the Giants and Reds featuring beanballs, cuss words and aggressive gesticulation. —Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2026 Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler and Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez were each given seven-game suspensions for their roles in the benches-clearing affair. —Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for clearing
Noun
Sidharth Kaushal, a research fellow in sea power at the Royal United Services Institute think tank, said mine-clearing and creating a warning system for maritime threats were more likely roles for the coalition than warships escorting commercial tankers though the strait. —ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026 What followed was a benches-clearing quarrel between Miller, Sal Stewart and their respective teams, the dramatic conclusion to a two-day saga between the Giants and Reds featuring beanballs, cuss words and aggressive gesticulation. —Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
Yet a new work from the guy who gave you Sex, Lies and Videotape — and Traffic, and Erin Brockovich, and Out of Sight, and Magic Mike, and Black Bag, and literally dozens of other movies that run the gamut from intriguing to flat-out brilliant — is still worth clearing your schedule for. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2026 Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler and Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez were each given seven-game suspensions for their roles in the benches-clearing affair. —Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for clearing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clearing
Noun
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There was no sign former leader Aung San Suu Kyi would be freed or if the pardon would include the thousands of political detainees imprisoned for opposing military rule.— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
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He was released in a mass pardon in 2024.— Jane Lytvynenko, NBC news, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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McIlroy followed his first-round 67 with a second-round 65 on Friday and stands 12-under 132 — six shots clear of the field.— Stan Awtrey, AJC.com, 11 Apr. 2026
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Carson Benge bobbled a ball in left field, turning a leadoff single into a double for Jacob Wilson, and former Mets utilityman Jeff McNeil sent him home with a single.— Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After some spring training struggles, a season-opening assignment to Triple-A and a pair of forgettable starts, the pitcher is happy to have a scoreless start under his belt.— Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2026
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TokyoReuters — Japan on Tuesday unveiled its biggest overhaul of defense export rules in decades, scrapping restrictions on overseas arms sales and opening the way for exports of warships, missiles and other weapons.— CNN Money, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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However, the addition of an ingredient or two can turn baking soda into an ant-ridding remedy in a pinch.— Rabekah Henderson, The Spruce, 3 Mar. 2026
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The enduring scent of burning garbage, used as one of the sole means of ridding neighborhoods of their trash.— Ruth Jean-Marie, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Alan’s brother, Merrill Osmond, 72, was among those paying tribute.— Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
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Wrestlers operated as independent contractors, and this allowed the McMahons to avoid paying benefits.— Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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How to Start Chaos Decluttering While the idea of emptying an entire space might feel daunting, the key is to start with smaller, preset zones.— Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 8 Apr. 2026
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Its All-in-One PowerDock automates maintenance by self-emptying dust for up to 100 days, washing mops with hot water, and refilling its own solution.— Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If they’re not changed often enough, clogs can prevent them from filtering air properly.— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
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Results will start filtering in for the state Supreme Court race and local contests.— Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On many systems, deleting them merely removes their addresses from a registry, freeing the space to be overwritten.— Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
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For truly tight quarters, a Murphy bed folds up against the wall when not in use, freeing the entire floor for daytime activities.— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/clearing. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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