Clear vs He cleared my name
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Clear
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
He cleared my name
Top 3,000 (common)
Most common: Clear
| Clear | He cleared my name | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/klɪə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/klɪr/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //hɪ ˈklɪəd maɪ neɪm//🇺🇸 //hi ˈklɪrd maɪ neɪm// |
| Meaning | Easy to see through or understand. | He made people believe I did nothing wrong. |
| Example | The sky is very clear today, perfect for a picnic. | After the investigation, he cleared my name so I could get my job back. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 3,000 (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 | clear someone's name, successfully cleared my name, work to clear your name, help clear my name, clear my name from accusations |
| 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 up' which means to resolve confusion., Used incorrectly in the past tense, saying 'cleared out my name'., Saying 'made my name clear' instead of 'cleared my name'. |
| 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. | Typically used in legal or figurative contexts when referring to someone's reputation. Avoid in casual conversation unless discussing serious matters. |
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Frequently asked questions: Clear vs He cleared my name
What's the difference between Clear and He cleared my name?
Clear: Easy to see through or understand. He cleared my name: He made people believe I did nothing wrong.
Which is more common: Clear and He cleared my name?
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. He cleared my name: After the investigation, he cleared my name so I could get my job back.
Can I use Clear and He cleared my name interchangeably?
Not always. Clear and He cleared my name 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.