Clear vs Definite

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Clear

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 adjective

Definite

Top 2,000 (common) B1 adjective

Most common: Clear

	Clear	Definite
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/klɪə(r)/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/klɪr/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈdefɪnət/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈdefɪnət/"]/
Meaning	Easy to see through or understand.	Clear and certain.
Example	The sky is very clear today, perfect for a picnic.	She gave a definite answer to the question.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	A2	B1
Part of speech	adjective	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	definite answer, definite plan, definite statement, definite proof
Antonyms	cloudy, unclear, muddy	vague, uncertain, ambiguous
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.	Confusing 'definite' with 'definitive' which has a different meaning., Using 'definite' with uncountable nouns incorrectly, such as 'a definite knowledge'., Omitting the noun after 'definite' in phrases like 'this is definite'.
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 'definite' when you want to express something that is clearly stated or decided. It is appropriate in both spoken and written contexts but may sound overly formal in casual conversations.

See it in real clips

Sherlock › S1 E1

Quite clear.

Better Call Saul › S1 E1

One good fall, he'd clear 6, 8 grand.

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

Is that clear?

Sherlock › S1 E1

Quite clear.

Better Call Saul › S1 E1

One good fall, he'd clear 6, 8 grand.

Clear

Frequently asked questions: Clear vs Definite

What's the difference between Clear and Definite?

Clear: Easy to see through or understand. Definite: Clear and certain.

Which is more common: Clear and Definite?

Clear is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Clear and Definite?

Definite is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Clear and Definite the same CEFR level?

Clear: A2, Definite: B1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Clear and Definite?

Clear: adjective, Definite: adjective.

Can you show an example of each?

Clear: The sky is very clear today, perfect for a picnic. Definite: She gave a definite answer to the question.

Can I use Clear and Definite interchangeably?

Not always. Clear and Definite 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.