cleanly
gb/klˈinli/ us/klˈinli/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
adverb
B1
property
1
without dirt or mess
in a way that is clean
Usage pattern:
[do something] cleanly
Common mistake:
Learners may use the adjective clean instead of the adverb: say “work cleanly,” not “work clean.”
Synonyms
clean (More general; often used as an adjective rather than an adverb.)
|
hygienically (Emphasizes health and cleanliness standards.)
Antonyms
dirty (Not clean; with dirt or stains.)
|
messily (Emphasizes creating or having a mess.)
Collocations
wash cleanly
|wipe cleanly
|cleanly washed
|cleanly rinsed
|cleanly scrubbed
|eat cleanly
|cleanly dressed
|cleanly kept
|cleanly maintained
|cleanly finished
Themes
daily_life
|home
|hygiene
Examples
- She washed her hands cleanly before cooking.
- The kitchen was kept cleanly, with counters wiped after every meal.
- He ate cleanly, without spilling sauce on his shirt.
Learner examples
- Please wash the cups cleanly.
- She keeps her room cleanly.
adverb
B2
property
2
neatly and tidily
in a neat and tidy way
Usage pattern:
[something] is arranged cleanly
Common mistake:
Cleanly can mean “neatly,” not only “without dirt,” especially with design or layout.
Synonyms
neatly (Most direct synonym for tidy arrangement.)
|
tidily (Emphasizes order and lack of clutter.)
Antonyms
messily (In a disorganized, untidy way.)
|
sloppily (Suggests careless untidiness.)
Collocations
cleanly arranged
|cleanly organized
|cleanly laid out
|cleanly presented
|cleanly written
|cleanly designed
|cleanly styled
|cleanly lined
|cleanly separated sections
|cleanly formatted
Themes
daily_life
|appearance
Examples
- The cables were routed cleanly behind the desk.
- She presented her notes cleanly, with clear headings and spacing.
- The apartment was decorated cleanly, with very little clutter.
Learner examples
- He wrote his name cleanly on the form.
adverb
B2
property
3
smoothly and precisely
smoothly and accurately
Usage pattern:
[do something] cleanly
Common mistake:
Often used about actions (cutting, striking, catching), not only about cleanliness.
Synonyms
smoothly (Emphasizes lack of roughness or interruption.)
|
precisely (Emphasizes accuracy and exactness.)
Antonyms
clumsily (Without control or accuracy.)
|
roughly (With unevenness or tearing.)
Collocations
cut cleanly
|slice cleanly
|snip cleanly
|hit cleanly
|strike cleanly
|catch cleanly
|land cleanly
|cleanly executed
|cleanly drilled hole
|cleanly machined
Themes
sports
|crafts
|tools
Examples
- The scissors cut cleanly through the fabric.
- He hit the ball cleanly and sent it into the corner.
- The gymnast landed cleanly after the jump.
Learner examples
- The knife cut cleanly.
adverb
C1
property
4
fairly; without cheating
in a fair way; not cheating
Usage pattern:
[play/compete/fight] cleanly
Common mistake:
In this sense, cleanly is about fairness, not physical dirt.
Synonyms
fairly (General word for following the rules.)
|
honestly (Emphasizes truthfulness and integrity.)
Antonyms
unfairly (Not according to the rules or equal treatment.)
|
dishonestly (With cheating or deception.)
Collocations
play cleanly
|compete cleanly
|fight cleanly
|race cleanly
|campaign cleanly
|win cleanly
|cleanly earned
|cleanly conducted
|cleanly officiated
|cleanly judged
Themes
sports
|ethics
|law
Examples
- They played cleanly and accepted the referee’s decisions.
- If you compete cleanly, you don’t need to make excuses later.
- The match was fought cleanly, with no dirty tactics.
Learner examples
- We should play cleanly.
adverb
C1
property
5
decisively; without dispute
clearly and strongly; by a clear result
Usage pattern:
[win/beat/defeat] [someone] cleanly
Common mistake:
This sense is about a clear outcome (a “clean win”), not about being neat or hygienic.
Synonyms
decisively (Emphasizes a strong, convincing result.)
|
clearly (Emphasizes lack of doubt or ambiguity.)
Antonyms
narrowly (By only a small margin.)
|
uncertainly (Without a clear or definite result.)
Collocations
win cleanly
|beat cleanly
|defeat cleanly
|outvote cleanly
|cleanly won
|cleanly defeated
|cleanly ahead
|cleanly overtake
|cleanly take the lead
|cleanly settle (a matter)
Themes
sports
|business
|news
Examples
- She won cleanly in the first round.
- The home team beat their rivals cleanly, 4–0.
- He didn’t just edge past them—he defeated them cleanly.
Learner examples
- Our team won cleanly.
adverb
technical
C1
property
6
without errors or problems
without problems; with no errors
Usage pattern:
[system/program/process] [starts/stops/exits/shuts down] cleanly
Common mistake:
Often used with exit/shut down/terminate; not usually replaced by 'cleanly' in everyday non-technical contexts.
Synonyms
successfully (Focuses on achieving the intended result.)
|
smoothly (Focuses on lack of interruptions or glitches.)
Antonyms
badly (With problems or poor performance.)
|
erratically (In an unstable, unpredictable way.)
Collocations
exit cleanly
|shut down cleanly
|close cleanly
|terminate cleanly
|boot cleanly
|install cleanly
|uninstall cleanly
|cleanly restart
|cleanly recover
|cleanly compile
Themes
technology
|computing
Examples
- After the update, the app finally opened and closed cleanly.
- The script exited cleanly with status code zero.
- If the server doesn’t shut down cleanly, the data can be corrupted.
Learner examples
- The program exited cleanly.
adverb
C1
property
7
completely separated or removed
completely, with nothing left behind
Usage pattern:
[something] [comes off/detaches/separates] cleanly
Common mistake:
In this sense, cleanly relates to completeness of separation, not to washing or hygiene.
Synonyms
completely (Focuses on total removal, not on neatness.)
|
neatly (Focuses on lack of damage or residue.)
Antonyms
partially (Not fully removed or separated.)
|
raggedly (Separated with rough, torn edges.)
Collocations
detach cleanly
|separate cleanly
|come off cleanly
|pull off cleanly
|peel off cleanly
|remove cleanly
|cleanly detached
|cleanly severed
|cleanly separated
|cleanly removed
Themes
daily_life
|technology
|medicine
Examples
- The sticker peeled off cleanly without leaving residue.
- The connector detached cleanly when he pressed the release tab.
- If the tooth doesn’t come out cleanly, the dentist may need to remove the rest.
Learner examples
- The label came off cleanly.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cleanly
IPA
GB/klˈinli/
US/klˈinli/
Syllables & stress
cleanly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (cleanly)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: cleanly
- Plural: cleanlies
Word family
Expressions
break cleanly
1/bɹˈeɪk klˈinli/
fixed phrase
separate neatly without splintering
to break neatly, not into rough pieces
Examples
- If you score the tile first, it should break cleanly.
- The branch didn’t break cleanly; it splintered and tore the bark.
- The glass broke cleanly into two large pieces.
cleanly shaven
1/klˈinli ʃˈeɪvən/
fixed phrase
with no beard or stubble
with no beard
Examples
- He was cleanly shaven for the interview.
- In the photo, she looks different because he’s cleanly shaven.
- The actor appeared cleanly shaven for the role.
cut cleanly
1/kˈʌt klˈinli/
fixed phrase
cut smoothly without tearing
to cut smoothly and neatly
Examples
- A sharp blade will cut cleanly through thick cardboard.
- The kitchen scissors didn’t cut cleanly, so the edge looked torn.
- Use steady pressure so the saw cuts cleanly.
exit cleanly
1/ˈɛksɪt klˈinli/
fixed phrase
technical
close without errors
to close without problems
Examples
- The application exits cleanly when you click Quit.
- If the process doesn’t exit cleanly, restart the device.
- The test checks whether the program exits cleanly after the final step.
get away cleanly
1/ɡˈɛt əwˈeɪ klˈinli/
fixed phrase
escape without harm or blame
to escape with no problems
Examples
- The driver lost control but got away cleanly with only a scratch.
- They thought they could cheat and get away cleanly, but they were reported.
- It’s rare to get away cleanly after a mistake like that.
win cleanly
1/wˈɪn klˈinli/
fixed phrase
win decisively and fairly
to win clearly, with no doubt
Examples
- She won cleanly and no one questioned the decision.
- The challenger won cleanly in a landslide.
- If you win cleanly, you don’t need to argue about the result.