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
 ClearHe cleared my name
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/klɪə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/klɪr/"]/🇬🇧 //hɪ ˈklɪəd maɪ neɪm//🇺🇸 //hi ˈklɪrd maɪ neɪm//
MeaningEasy to see through or understand.He made people believe I did nothing wrong.
ExampleThe sky is very clear today, perfect for a picnic.After the investigation, he cleared my name so I could get my job back.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 3,000 (common)
CEFR levelA2-
Part of speechadjective
Collocationsbe, 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, ofclear someone's name, successfully cleared my name, work to clear your name, help clear my name, clear my name from accusations
Antonymscloudy, 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 notesUse '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.

See it in real clips

Clear
He cleared my name

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.

Related comparisons