Synonyms of clearingnext
1
: the act or process of making or becoming clear
2
: a tract of land cleared of wood and brush
3
: the settlement of accounts or exchange of financial instruments especially between banks

clearing

2 of 2

present participle of clear entry 3

Examples of clearing in a Sentence

Noun the clearing of the table the clearing of wood and brush from part of the forest We found a clearing in the forest.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
After bulldozers were spotted in August clearing land in Big Bend, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott announced a pause on all activity there, and it was later expanded to the area upstream of the park. — Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026 The path was lined with stone steps and gorgeous clearings overlooking the water. — Elleanna Revell, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026 Ynon Kreiz, the former CEO of Mattel, has been named Co-CEO of the combined WarnerMount alongside David Ellison, the company announced on Wednesday following the news of the final hurdle clearing. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026 After bulldozers were spotted in August clearing land in Big Bend, CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott announced a pause on all activity there and it was later expanded to the area upstream of the park. — ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for clearing

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clearing was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clearing. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: the act or process of making or becoming clear
2
: an area of land cleared of wood and brush
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!