clearer

1 of 2
clear·​er ˈklir-ər How to pronounce clearer (audio)

comparative form of the adjective clear

a clearer understanding
a clearer explanation
… until we have a clearer idea what we are about, we will remain on Matthew Arnold's darkling plain where, swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, ignorant armies clash by night.Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.

clearer

2 of 2

noun

: a person or thing that clears or clears away something
Cromwell reminds sidewalk clearers that they can't fling, blow or plow snow into city streets.Mike Ferguson
Clearers manually search with a metal detector and a pointed stick and, like archaeologists on a dig, extract the mines with small digging implements.Maureen Rouhi
Goldsmith tells us, that when a lovely woman stoops to folly, she has nothing to do but to die; and when she stoops to be disagreeable, it is equally to be recommended as a clearer of ill-fame.Jane Austen

Examples of clearer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Moye calls on clearers when houses that otherwise seem prime for a sale just won’t move for mysterious reasons. Rachel Kurzius, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2023 While the fate of the supplemental funding and a possible commission looking into Jan. 6 hangs in the balance, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell didn't make his position any clearer on Monday. Libby Cathey, ABC News, 25 May 2021 Develin, a Pro Bowler two seasons ago, is one of the league’s best path clearers, smashing his 6-foot-3-inch, 255-pound body into defensive lineman and linebackers to create space in the running game. BostonGlobe.com, 24 Sep. 2019 On one side are the compulsive clearers, who can’t abide the banners and bubbles designed to prod us into maximum smartphone hygiene. Katherine Bindley, WSJ, 25 May 2018 Besides the fence-clearers, Perdomo allowed two hits and two walks, striking out four. Dennis Lin, sandiegouniontribune.com, 10 Sep. 2017 So, from scrubs to sinus clearers, drug store to designer, here are the body washes that distinguished themselves. Adam Hurly, GQ, 29 Jan. 2018 The Padres did not muster a follow-up to their early fence-clearers. Dennis Lin, sandiegouniontribune.com, 16 June 2017

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1599, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clearer was in 1599

Dictionary Entries Near clearer

Cite this Entry

“Clearer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clearer. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on clearer

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!