tidy

1 of 3

adjective

ti·​dy ˈtī-dē 

tidier; tidiest

1

a

: neat and orderly in appearance or habits : well ordered and cared for

b

: methodical, precise

a tidy mind

2

: large, substantial

a tidy profit

3

: adequately satisfactory : acceptable, fair

a tidy solution to their problem

4

: properly filled out : plump

tidily

ˈtī-də-lē 

adverb

tidiness

ˈtī-dē-nəs 

noun

tidy

2 of 3

verb

tidied; tidying

transitive verb

: to put in order

tidy up a room

intransitive verb

: to make things tidy

tidying up after supper

tidier noun

tidy

3 of 3

noun

plural tidies

1

: a usually compartmentalized receptacle for various small objects

2

: a piece of fancywork used to protect the back, arms, or headrest of a chair or sofa from wear or soil

Synonyms

Adjective

• antiseptic
• bandbox
• crisp
• groomed
• kempt
• neat
• orderly
• picked up
• prim
• shipshape
• smug
• snug
• tidied
• trig
• trim
• uncluttered
• well-groomed

Verb

• clean (up)
• pick up

Examples of tidy in a Sentence

Adjective

He has always been a tidy person.

She earns a tidy salary.

They paid a tidy sum for the house.

Verb

I tidied the house before they arrived.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Other must-shop Black Friday sales to keep your home clean and tidy include this Dyson stick vacuum and this Shark steam mop. —Lauren Taylor, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Nov. 2024

But Stewart’s words, whether spoken directly to the camera or read from private letters, tell a story that diverges from tidy fantasies. —Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 28 Nov. 2024

Verb

If your liquid detergent does expire, use it for one of its many uses outside of keeping clothing clean, like mopping floors and tidying toys. —Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2024

Shopping Home Reviews Tool Reviews Keep your yard clean and tidy the easy way. —Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Oct. 2024

Noun

This episode tidies up a lot of the season’s conflicts, healing multiple complex relationships: Sean and his dad, Gaby and her sister, Alice and her guy-who-killed-my-mom. —Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024

Often called the Chelsea Chop, this trim tidies up plants and encourages a second flush of blooms. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, timely, in good condition, from tide time

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

1821, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

circa 1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tidy

• neat and tidy
• tidy away
• tidy tips
• tidy up after (someone)

Kids Definition

tidy

1 of 3 adjective

ti·​dy ˈtīd-ē 

tidier; tidiest

1

: well ordered and cared for

2

: large, substantial

a tidy price

tidy

2 of 3 verb

tidied; tidying

1

: to put in order

tidy up the room

2

: to make things tidy

tidy

3 of 3 noun

plural tidies

: a fancy covering used to protect the back, arms, or headrest of a chair or sofa from wear or soiling