clearing
noun
clear·ing ˈklir-iŋ 
1
: the act or process of making or becoming clear
2
: a tract of land cleared of wood and brush
3
: the settlement of accounts or exchange of financial instruments especially between banks
Synonyms
- acquittal
- exculpation
- exoneration
- vindication
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
the clearing of the table the clearing of wood and brush from part of the forest We found a clearing in the forest.
Recent Examples on the Web The couple found a place to sit in a pretty clearing in the woods and, unknowingly, put a towel down directly over an underground yellow jacket nest concealed by leaves. 
Bethany Brookshire, Good Housekeeping, 18 June 2022 In the meantime, cooler, cloudy conditions are expected to prevail through Sunday, followed by some clearing in the afternoon Monday and Tuesday, Sweet said. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2022 Extended forecasts are now showing morning fog, but afternoon clearing in the Portland area through Sunday. oregonlive, 2 Feb. 2022 In a small clearing in the woods, the 41-year-old watched two performers rehearse a short piece, a modern dance performed, in part, on facing chairs, set next to a downed tree. Washington Post, 26 June 2021 Portland will see some cloudy skies to start the day, then gradual clearing to mostly sunny skies. oregonlive, 19 Aug. 2022 As the day wears on, some sunshine should emerge, pushing highs into the mid-to-upper 70s, maybe even 80 with enough clearing. Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2022 Gabby, Erich and Grandpa John went for a sound bath that started with an energetic clearing. Dana Rose Falcone, PEOPLE.com, 25 July 2022 Partial clearing will develop after midnight, so Sunday morning will be dry with some sunshine and chilly temperatures. Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2022 See More
Bethany Brookshire, Good Housekeeping, 18 June 2022 In the meantime, cooler, cloudy conditions are expected to prevail through Sunday, followed by some clearing in the afternoon Monday and Tuesday, Sweet said. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2022 Extended forecasts are now showing morning fog, but afternoon clearing in the Portland area through Sunday. oregonlive, 2 Feb. 2022 In a small clearing in the woods, the 41-year-old watched two performers rehearse a short piece, a modern dance performed, in part, on facing chairs, set next to a downed tree. Washington Post, 26 June 2021 Portland will see some cloudy skies to start the day, then gradual clearing to mostly sunny skies. oregonlive, 19 Aug. 2022 As the day wears on, some sunshine should emerge, pushing highs into the mid-to-upper 70s, maybe even 80 with enough clearing. Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2022 Gabby, Erich and Grandpa John went for a sound bath that started with an energetic clearing. Dana Rose Falcone, PEOPLE.com, 25 July 2022 Partial clearing will develop after midnight, so Sunday morning will be dry with some sunshine and chilly temperatures. Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing clearing
Kids Definition
clearing
noun
clear·ing ˈklir-iŋ
: an open area of land in which there are no trees
We found a clearing in the forest.
clearing 1 of 2
noun
1
as in pardon
a setting free from a charge of wrongdoing the clearing of his good name became his obsession Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- pardon
- forgiveness
- vindication
- exoneration
- exculpation
- acquittal
- expiation
- absolution
- atonement
- remission
- compurgation
- condonation
- whitewash
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- conviction
- prosecution
- accusation
- incrimination
- indictment
- impeachment
- condemnation
- arraignment
- denunciation
- castigation
- censure
2
as in field
a small area of usually open land deer browsing in a clearing in the woods Synonyms & Similar Words
- field
- ground
- tract
- meadow
- parcel
- lot
- grass
- plot
- green
- lawn
- plat
- glade
- pasture
- common(s)
- grassland
- heath
- croft
- moor
- pastureland
- greensward
- lea
- heathland
- ley
clearing
2 of 2verb
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- opening
- unblocking
- facilitating
- stripping
- freeing
- smoothing
- unstopping
- unclogging
- unplugging
- uncluttering
- easing
- unchoking
- loosening (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- blocking
- closing
- stopping
- obstructing
- clogging
- plugging
- damming
- cluttering (up)
2
as in ridding
to set (a person or thing) free of something that encumbers cleared the woods of brush Synonyms & Similar Words
- ridding
- relieving
- freeing
- unburdening
- divesting
- disencumbering
- rescuing
- disburdening
- liberating
- loosening
- springing
- discharging
- emancipating
- extricating
- releasing
- unfettering
- unchaining
- redeeming
- loosing
- enfranchising
- disengaging
- disentangling
- unbinding
- manumitting
- delivering
- uncaging
- bailing (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- saddling
- hampering
- burdening
- encumbering
- subjecting
- restraining
- weighting (down)
- bogging (down)
- fettering
- shackling
- weighing down
3
as in paying
to give what is owed for finally cleared the last debt Synonyms & Similar Words
- paying
- settling
- balancing
- standing
- meeting
- liquidating
- discharging
- footing
- paying off
- paying up
- recompensing
- quitting
- ponying up
- springing (for)
- anteing (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- repudiating
4
as in emptying
to remove the contents of cleared a drawer so there would be a place to store his clothes Synonyms & Similar Words
- emptying
- evacuating
- cleaning
- eliminating
- purging
- vacating
- sweeping
- draining
- voiding
- flushing
- depleting
- scouring
- wasting
- exhausting
- bleeding
- drawing (off)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- filling
- loading
5
as in filtering
to remove usually visible impurities from cleared the car windows Synonyms & Similar Words
- filtering
- clarifying
- cleaning
- refining
- extracting
- processing
- purging
- purifying
- fining
- washing
- distilling
- cleansing
- sifting
- rectifying
- garbling
- decontaminating
- sieving
- disinfecting
- sanitizing
- leaching
- screening
- elutriating
- bolting
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- clouding
- dulling
- muddying
- contaminating
- dirtying
- polluting
- soiling
- tainting
- defiling
- fouling
- besmirching
- sullying
- begriming
6
as in freeing
to set free from entanglement or difficulty cleared himself of any involvement in the matter Synonyms & Similar Words
- freeing
- saving
- extricating
- rescuing
- liberating
- untangling
- releasing
- redeeming
- disentangling
- disengaging
- cutting loose
- disembarrassing
- unburdening
- delivering
- unraveling
- disencumbering
- untwining
- untying
- disburdening
- unsnarling
- untieing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- blocking
- impeding
- hindering
- obstructing
- hampering
- entangling
- loading
- weighing
- embroiling
- burdening
- encumbering
7
as in facilitating
to make passage through (something) possible by removing obstructions plows promptly cleared the roads of snow Synonyms & Similar Words
- opening
- facilitating
- smoothing
- unstopping
- unclogging
- unplugging
- freeing
- easing
- loosening (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- blocking
- closing
- stopping
- obstructing
- impeding
- hindering
- hampering
- plugging (up)
- clogging (up)
- interfering (with)
- encumbering
- damming (up)
- constricting
- barricading
- blockading
- trammelling
- trammeling
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- acquitting
- vindicating
- exonerating
- absolving
- exculpating
- releasing
- liberating
- unburdening
- forgiving
- discharging
- expiating
- redeeming
- redressing
- whitewashing
- condoning
- excusing
- remitting
- avenging
- pardoning
- revenging
- atoning (for)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- charging
- incriminating
- accusing
- indicting
- impeaching
- criminating
- convicting
- arraigning
9
as in approving
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory the administration cleared the plan, and building should begin shortly Synonyms & Similar Words
- approving
- confirming
- ratifying
- finalizing
- accepting
- authorizing
- endorsing
- sanctioning
- formalizing
- acknowledging
- signing
- okaying
- accrediting
- warranting
- affirming
- validating
- certifying
- approbating
- homologating
- passing
- permitting
- enabling
- initialing
- sanctifying
- blessing
- initialling
- OK'ing
- licensing
- allowing
- indorsing
- legalizing
- canonizing
- reapproving
- licencing
- rubber-stamping
- signing off (on)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- denying
- rejecting
- prohibiting
- forbidding
- declining
- banning
- ignoring
- turning down
- vetoing
- overlooking
- interdicting
- disapproving
- enjoining
- disallowing
- negativing
- proscribing
- disregarding
- neglecting
- refusing
- rebutting
- illegalizing
- spurning
- rebuffing
10
as in removing
to take away from a place or position cleared the dishes from the table Synonyms & Similar Words
- removing
- withdrawing
- pulling
- extracting
- drawing
- dislodging
- taking out
- shifting
- cutting
- moving
- abstracting
- transferring
- drawing out
- demounting
- displacing
- drawing off
- transposing
- disturbing
- dislocating
- budging
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- putting
- placing
- positioning
- setting
- securing
- mounting
- fixing
- anchoring
- clamping
- rooting
- sticking
- hitching
- mooring
- embedding
- imbedding
- entrenching
- implanting
- situating
- intrenching
- lodging
- siting
- setting up
- engraining
- ingraining
11
as in informing
to give information to please clear my mind about the new arrangement regarding reimbursement for traveling expenses Synonyms & Similar Words
- informing
- advising
- instructing
- telling
- notifying
- familiarizing
- briefing
- educating
- alerting
- teaching
- enlightening
- acquainting
- versing
- apprising
- hipping
- filling in
- convincing
- assuring
- letting someone know
- reassuring
- certifying
- catching up
- advertising
- keeping (someone) posted
- clueing (in)
- cluing (in)
- lecturing
- wising (up)
- disabusing
- disenchanting
- warranting
- schooling
- disclosing (to)
- tutoring
- disillusioning
- announcing (to)
- undeceiving
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- misleading
- misinforming
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- earning
- netting
- making
- getting
- realizing
- gaining
- garnering
- cleaning up
- cashing in (on)
- raking (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- grossing
- pastoral prayer
- pastoral theology
- pastorale
- pastorales
- pastoralisation
- pastoralise
- pastoralism
- pastoralisms
- pastoralist
- pastoralists
- pastorality
- pastoralization
- pastoralize
- pastorally
- pastoralness
- pastoralnesses
- pastorals
- pastorate
- pastorates
- pastored
- pastorelle
- pastores
- pastoria
- pastoring
- pastorium