Standard Lemma guide

clearly

adv · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈklɪɚli/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈklɪəli/
  • Scotland: /ˈkliːɹli/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪə(ɹ)li
  • CMU ARPABET: K L IH1 R L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a clear manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: manner

Examples

  • He enunciated every syllable clearly.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Without a doubt; obviously.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: modal

Examples

  • Clearly, the judge erred in his opinion.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

To a degree clearly discernible.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: degree

Examples

  • He was clearly wrong on all points but one.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adverb

Meaning 4

without doubt or question

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • they were clearly lost
  • history has clearly shown the folly of that policy

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adverb

Meaning 5

clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • it's distinctly possible
  • I could clearly see myself in his situation

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: distinctly

Antonyms: none provided

6

adverb

Meaning 6

in an intelligible manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the foreigner spoke to us quite intelligibly

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: intelligibly, understandably

Antonyms: none provided

7

adverb

Meaning 7

in an easily perceptible manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • could be seen clearly under the microscope
  • She cried loud and clear

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: clear

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English clerli, clerely, clerelych, cleerliche, clerliche. By surface analysis, clear + (adverbial) -ly.

Across languages

Translations

66 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: qartë — in a clear manner
  • Bulgarian: ясно (jasno) — in a clear manner
  • Bulgarian: очевидно (očevidno) — in a clear manner
  • Catalan: clarament — in a clear manner
  • Czech: jasně — in a clear manner
  • Danish: tydelig — in a clear manner
  • Danish: evident — in a clear manner
  • Danish: indlysende — in a clear manner
  • Danish: klart — in a clear manner
  • Dutch: duidelijk — in a clear manner
  • Esperanto: klare — in a clear manner
  • Finnish: selvästi — in a clear manner
  • French: clairement — in a clear manner
  • Friulian: clâr — in a clear manner
  • Galician: claramente — in a clear manner
  • Georgian: ნათლად (natlad) — in a clear manner
  • German: klar — in a clear manner
  • German: deutlich — in a clear manner
  • Gothic: 𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌷𐍄𐌰𐌱𐌰 (bairhtaba) — in a clear manner
  • Greek: καθαρά (kathará) — in a clear manner
  • Greek: ξεκάθαρα (xekáthara) — in a clear manner
  • Greek: σαφώς (safós) — in a clear manner
  • Hungarian: világosan — in a clear manner
  • Hungarian: tisztán — in a clear manner
  • Hungarian: érthetően — in a clear manner
  • Ingrian: selkiäst — in a clear manner
  • Italian: chiaramente — in a clear manner
  • Latin: disertim — in a clear manner
  • Macedonian: јасно (jasno) — in a clear manner
  • Malayalam: വ്യക്തമായി (vyaktamāyi) — in a clear manner
  • Polish: wyraźnie — in a clear manner
  • Portuguese: claramente — in a clear manner
  • Russian: я́сно (jásno) — in a clear manner
  • Russian: чётко (čótko) — in a clear manner
  • Spanish: claramente — in a clear manner
  • Spanish: a ojos vista — in a clear manner
  • Spanish: a ojos vistas — in a clear manner
  • Telugu: తేటగా (tēṭagā) — in a clear manner
  • Tocharian B: apākri — in a clear manner
  • Ukrainian: я́сно (jásno) — in a clear manner
  • Albanian: dukshëm — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Bulgarian: несъмнено (nesǎmneno) — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Dutch: duidelijk — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Dutch: klaar — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Galician: claramente — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Greek: σαφώς (safós) — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Hungarian: nyilván — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Hungarian: nyilvánvalóan — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Italian: certamente — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Norwegian Bokmål: tydeligvis — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Polish: wyraźnie — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Portuguese: claro — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Russian: очеви́дно (očevídno) — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Russian: явно (javno) — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Sanskrit: प्रकटम् (prakaṭam) — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Spanish: claramente — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Spanish: por lo claro — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Ukrainian: очеви́дно (očevýdno) — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Ukrainian: безсумні́вно (bezsumnívno) — (modal) without a doubt, obviously
  • Galician: claramente — (degree) to a degree clearly discernible
  • Greek: σαφώς (safós) — (degree) to a degree clearly discernible
  • Hungarian: láthatóan — (degree) to a degree clearly discernible
  • Hungarian: egyértelműen — (degree) to a degree clearly discernible
  • Italian: evidentemente — (degree) to a degree clearly discernible
  • Portuguese: claramente — (degree) to a degree clearly discernible
  • Volapük: kleiliko — (degree) to a degree clearly discernible
Real reading context

clearly in complete knowledge articles