Cool MateClear vs Clear as red flame
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Clear
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
Clear as red flame
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Clear
| Clear | Clear as red flame | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/klɪə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/klɪr/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //klɪə əz rɛd fleɪm//🇺🇸 //klɪr æz rɛd fleɪm// |
| Meaning | Easy to see through or understand. | very easy to understand |
| Example | The sky is very clear today, perfect for a picnic. | The instructions were clear as red flame to everyone. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | be, seem, become, extremely, fairly, very, to, clear and concise, be, seem, become, extremely, fairly, very, to, clear and concise, be, extremely, fairly, very, about, on, be, look, become, extremely, fairly, very, loud and clear, be, become, extremely, fairly, very, be, look, seem, completely, fairly, pretty, of | as clear as can be, clear as day, clear as a bell |
| Antonyms | cloudy, unclear, muddy | - |
| Common mistakes | 'Clear' is often confused with 'clean.', 'Clear' is sometimes incorrectly used as a verb instead of an adjective., Learners may forget to use 'clear' to describe abstract concepts, like thoughts. | Confused with 'clear as mud', which means the opposite., Omitting the word 'as' when using the phrase. |
| Usage notes | Use 'clear' to describe something easily understood or free of obstructions. It’s appropriate in both casual and formal contexts. Avoid using it in overly technical discussions where precision matters. | Use when something is very obvious or easy to see. Avoid in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Clear vs Clear as red flame
What's the difference between Clear and Clear as red flame?
Clear: Easy to see through or understand. Clear as red flame: very easy to understand
Which is more common: Clear and Clear as red flame?
Clear is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Clear: The sky is very clear today, perfect for a picnic. Clear as red flame: The instructions were clear as red flame to everyone.
Can I use Clear and Clear as red flame interchangeably?
Not always. Clear and Clear as red flame are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.