clearness

clearness — noun

1. the quality of water, air, glass, or a similar substance that allows you to see

1.nounB2
Definition

the quality of water, air, glass, or a similar substance that allows you to see through it easily because there is nothing blocking your view or making it cloudy.

Example

The clearness of the lake water surprised everyone who visited.

the clearness of + [substance]

Leila admired the clearness of the window glass after she cleaned it.

Common collocations
  • clearness of the water
  • clearness of the air
  • clearness of the glass
  • remarkable clearness
  • extraordinary clearness
  • amazing clearness
Synonyms
  • transparency

    the most common synonym; used for the same physical substances and also for abstract concepts

  • purity

    overlaps when describing clean water or air, but also implies freedom from pollution or contaminants

Antonyms
  • cloudiness

    describes liquid or air that is not transparent

  • murkiness

    implies darkness combined with lack of transparency

  • fogginess

    describes air or glass that is difficult to see through

Grammar Patterns

the clearness of + noun (water, air, glass, ice)

Usage Note

Describes physical transparency only — of water, air, glass, ice, or similar see-through substances. For ideas or explanations, use sense 2 or the word 'clarity'.

Common Mistakes

The cleanness of the pool water made it look inviting.
The clearness of the pool water made it look inviting.
'Cleanness' means free from dirt; 'clearness' means you can see through it.

2. the quality of a piece of writing, speech, or explanation that makes it simple t

2.nounB2
Definition

the quality of a piece of writing, speech, or explanation that makes it simple to follow because the ideas are well organised and nothing is confusing or hard to understand.

Example

The teacher praised the clearness of Ravi's explanation about the science experiment.

the clearness of + [abstract noun like explanation]

Because of the clearness of the instructions, everyone assembled the table correctly.

Common collocations
  • clearness of expression
  • clearness of thought
  • clearness of explanation
  • logical clearness
  • remarkable clearness
Synonyms
  • clarity

    the most common synonym; preferred in all modern contexts for abstract clarity, from conversation to academic writing

  • lucidity

    more formal; highlights logical coherence, especially of complex ideas or explanations

  • simplicity

    emphasises lack of unnecessary complexity rather than overall understandability

Antonyms
  • confusion

    describes writing or speech that is hard to follow

  • vagueness

    implies ideas that are not specific or detailed enough

  • ambiguity

    describes language that can be understood in more than one way

Grammar Patterns

the clearness of + noun (explanation, writing, instructions, voice)

Usage Note

Applies only to ideas, writing, speech, instructions, and communication — never to physical substances (see sense 1). The synonym 'clarity' is far more common in modern English for this meaning; 'clearness' can sound old-fashioned or technical.

Common Mistakes

I need more clearness in this paragraph before I submit it.
I need more clarity in this paragraph before I submit it.
'Clarity' is the standard, natural-sounding word for how easy something is to understand; 'clearness' is rarely used this way in modern English.
The clearness of her argument convinced the committee.
The clarity of her argument convinced the committee.
For abstract or logical clarity, 'clarity' is preferred in both formal and informal contexts.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Clearness, clarity, lucidity, precision, and simplicity all describe how easy something is to understand, but the emphasis differs. Clarity is by far the most common word in this group and works naturally for writing, speech, thought, and explanations — it is the default choice in academic and professional contexts. Clearness is much less frequent and can sound old-fashioned or technical when used for abstract ideas; it fits more naturally when describing physical transparency. Lucidity is a formal term that highlights the logical flow of complex or difficult ideas. Precision focuses on exactness and accuracy of detail rather than overall understandability. Simplicity emphasises the absence of unnecessary complexity. For example, 'The clarity of the professor's introduction made quantum physics accessible to beginners' sounds natural in modern English, whereas 'the clearness of his explanation' would draw attention to the word choice itself.

clarity ↗lucidityprecision ↗simplicity ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • for clearness
  • with clearness

Prepositions

  • clearness of
  • clearness in

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed from the adjective 'clear' and the Germanic suffix '-ness', which turns adjectives into abstract nouns meaning 'the quality or state of being [adjective]'. The word 'clear' comes from Old French 'cler' (modern French 'clair'), from Latin 'clarus' meaning bright, shining, or distinct. While 'clearness' has been used in English since the Middle English period (as 'clernesse'), the synonym 'clarity' (borrowed directly from Latin 'claritas' in the 1500s) gradually became the more common word for abstract senses.