clean-shaven

clean-shaven — adjective

1. describes a man who shaves his face so that no beard, moustache, or stubble rema

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes a man who shaves his face so that no beard, moustache, or stubble remains, leaving the skin smooth.

Example

Theo arrived for the job interview looking neat and clean-shaven.

collocation: neat and clean-shaven

The librarian was a tall man with a clean-shaven face and kind eyes.

attributive: clean-shaven face

Common collocations
  • clean-shaven face
  • clean-shaven jaw
  • clean-shaven look
  • clean-shaven appearance
  • clean-shaven man
  • remain clean-shaven
  • keep clean-shaven
Synonyms
  • shaven

    less specific; can describe any part of the body that has been shaved, not just the face

  • beardless

    focuses only on the absence of a beard; does not imply the person shaved — they may naturally grow no beard

  • smooth-faced

    more informal; can also describe someone with naturally smooth skin or no wrinkles

Antonyms
  • bearded

    having a full beard on the lower part of the face

  • unshaven

    having stubble or a beard because the person has not shaved recently

  • stubbly

    covered with short, rough hair that has grown back since last shaving

Grammar Patterns

be + clean-shaven

clean-shaven + noun

Usage Note

Almost always describes a man's face. Often contrasted with terms like 'bearded,' 'stubbly,' or 'with a moustache.' Can be used both attributively (a clean-shaven man) and predicatively (he was clean-shaven).

Common Mistakes

After shaving, my face feels clean-shaving.
After shaving, my face is clean-shaven.
'clean-shaven' is an adjective expressing a state, not a present participle describing an action.
She has a clean-shaven face.' (implying she shaves her face like a man)
She has smooth, hair-free legs after shaving.
'clean-shaven' strongly implies a man's beard; for women's body hair, use different phrasing.

Word family

  • shave
    verbB1
  • shaven
    adjectiveB2
  • unshaven
    adjectiveB2
  • shaver
    nounB2
  • shaving
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe an absence of hair, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Clean-shaven' is the most specific — it describes a man who deliberately shaves his beard and moustache, leaving a smooth surface. 'Shaven' is broader: you can have a shaven head, shaven legs, or a shaven face, but it does not carry the 'neat and tidy' implication of 'clean-shaven.' 'Beardless' simply states that no beard is present; a teenage boy who cannot yet grow facial hair is beardless but not clean-shaven. 'Smooth-faced' is more informal and can describe skin texture regardless of hair removal — a woman with good skin might be called smooth-faced. 'Hairless' is clinical and broad; it applies to any body part or even animals. For everyday use describing a man's facial grooming, 'clean-shaven' is the most natural and positive choice. For example: 'The groom was clean-shaven on his wedding day' sounds better than 'The groom was beardless' (too vague) or 'The groom was hairless on his face' (oddly clinical).

shavenbeardlesssmooth-facedhairless

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • always clean-shaven
  • neatly clean-shaven
  • freshly clean-shaven
  • newly clean-shaven
  • usually clean-shaven

Phrases

  • be clean-shaven
  • remain clean-shaven
  • stay clean-shaven
  • keep clean-shaven

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

A compound of 'clean' (from Old English clæne, meaning free from dirt or impurities) and 'shaven' (the past participle of 'shave', from Old English sc(e)afan, meaning to scrape or remove hair with a blade). The combination 'clean-shaven' emerged in the 1500s to describe men who removed all facial hair, contrasting with the fashionable beards and moustaches of earlier periods.