transparent

transparent — adjective

1. describes a material that lets light pass through so objects behind it are fully

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

describes a material that lets light pass through so objects behind it are fully visible, like window glass or clear water.

Example

The aquarium walls are made of transparent acrylic, giving a clear view of the fish.

pattern: made of + transparent + material

Sivan prefers transparent containers for the kitchen so she can find ingredients at a glance.

collocation: transparent containers

Common collocations
  • transparent glass
  • transparent plastic
  • transparent container
  • transparent material
  • transparent surface
Synonyms
  • clear

    more general; describes both transparency and lack of cloudiness

  • see-through

    informal, often used for clothing or thin materials

  • crystal-clear

    emphasizes that the view is perfectly sharp, not just seeable

Antonyms
  • opaque

    cannot be seen through at all

  • cloudy

    diffuses light so objects behind are not clearly visible

Usage Note

Frequently used with nouns for materials and containers: glass, plastic, acrylic, bottle, jar, box, window. The opposite is opaque.

Common Mistakes

The fog made the road completely transparent.
The fog made the road impossible to see.
fog makes things impossible to see through, not transparent.
The glass is transparent so you cannot see through it.
The glass is transparent so you can see through it clearly.
transparent means you CAN see through it.

2. expressed in plain words that leave no room for confusion, so any reader can gra

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

expressed in plain words that leave no room for confusion, so any reader can grasp the meaning.

Example

The contract was written in transparent language that even a non-lawyer could understand.

collocation: transparent language

Henry asked his teacher for a more transparent explanation of the math problem.

collocation: transparent explanation

Common collocations
  • transparent language
  • transparent explanation
  • transparent account
  • transparent process
  • transparent rules
Synonyms
  • clear

    widely used; less formal and covers more situations

  • straightforward

    emphasizes simplicity and lack of complication

  • unambiguous

    has only one possible interpretation, leaving no room for doubt

Antonyms
  • confusing

    hard to understand or follow

  • ambiguous

    open to more than one interpretation

  • obscure

    difficult to understand because of being unclear

Usage Note

Used with nouns relating to information and communication: explanation, language, account, process, rules. The focus is on clarity and lack of confusion.

Common Mistakes

The novel's plot was transparent — I could not follow it at all.
The novel's plot was transparent
I understood everything right away.' — transparent means easy to follow, not hard to follow.

3. behaving in an open and honest way, without hiding information or keeping secret

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

behaving in an open and honest way, without hiding information or keeping secret motives.

Example

Théo's boss promised to be fully transparent about any changes to the team's schedule.

pattern: be transparent about + noun

The new mayor runs a transparent administration where council meetings are posted online.

collocation: transparent administration

Common collocations
  • transparent government
  • transparent process
  • transparent about
  • transparent with
  • fully transparent
  • completely transparent
Synonyms
  • open

    broader; can refer to personality or accessibility of information

  • honest

    focuses on truthfulness rather than full disclosure of information

  • candid

    emphasizes speaking frankly even when the truth is uncomfortable

Antonyms
  • secretive

    deliberately hides information or intentions

  • dishonest

    tells lies or deliberately misleads

  • deceptive

    gives a false impression on purpose

Usage Note

Very common in discussions of government, business, and personal relationships. The noun form transparency is especially frequent in political and corporate contexts (e.g. 'a lack of transparency in the bidding process'). Often followed by about or with.

Common Mistakes

She was transparent — she lied about where she had been.
She was transparent
she told the truth about where she had been.' — transparent means being truthful, not hiding things.

4. describes cloth or material that is so thin and fine that you can see through it

4.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes cloth or material that is so thin and fine that you can see through it.

Example

Camila wore a transparent silk scarf over her shoulders at the outdoor concert.

collocation: transparent fabric / transparent silk

The designer used transparent fabric layers to create a light, airy dress.

Common collocations
  • transparent fabric
  • transparent silk
  • transparent curtains
  • transparent layers
  • transparent material
Synonyms
  • sheer

    the standard term in fashion; sounds more natural than transparent for clothing

  • see-through

    informal; common in everyday speech about clothing

  • diaphanous

    literary or formal; describes extremely delicate, light fabric

Antonyms
  • thick

    does not let light or sight pass through

  • heavy

    made of dense material that blocks visibility

  • opaque

    cannot be seen through at all

Usage Note

Used primarily for textiles, curtains, and clothing. See-through is a more common informal alternative for clothing ('a see-through blouse'). Sheer is a synonym commonly used in fashion contexts.

Word family

  • transparency
    nounB2
  • transparently
    adverbB2
  • semi-transparent
    adjectiveC1
  • opaque
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Transparent means light passes through so clearly that objects on the other side can be seen sharply. Clear is the broadest term — it can describe transparent objects (clear glass) but also air, liquid, or ideas that are free of impurities or confusion. See-through is an informal alternative, used especially for clothing or thin materials (a see-through blouse). Crystal-clear emphasizes perfect visibility (crystal-clear water). Translucent is the trickiest neighbour: it lets light through but scatters it, so objects behind appear blurred (frosted glass is translucent, not transparent). For everyday use, choose clear for general situations and transparent when you specifically mean 'you can see through it perfectly.'

clear ↗see-throughtranslucentcrystal-clear

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • made of transparent
  • be transparent about
  • transparent to the public

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Transparent comes from Latin transparens, a combination of trans- (through) and parens (appearing). The original meaning was 'showing light through' or 'appearing through something.' It entered English in the early 1400s to describe materials that light can pass through. By the 1500s it had expanded to describe ideas or motives that are easy to see through — hence the modern senses of 'obvious' and 'honest.'