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clean-cut

clean-cut

13 3.8
Having a neat, smart look and tidy clothes
  • adjective
  • /ˈklinˌkʌt/
translation icon : bien arreglado
  • His clean-cut appearance made him look professional at the interview.
  • clean-cut man
  • clean-cut kid
  • clean-cut guy

Let's say if, if I'm playing a, a clean cut businessman, I'd like to change my essence.

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Examples

  • You're young; you're clean-cut; you're from a prominent family.

  • - You look kind of clean-cut.

  • Just a nice clean cut and it looks pretty healthy.

  • I imagine like a clean cut polo shirt.

  • Miller is a clean-cut man in his thirties.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Nice clean-cut young fellow.

  • Four clean-cut young men watch a pair of aging strippers gyrate on stage.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Cut back to a tight shot of the door as it opens and a very clean-cut, preppy, stockbroker type enters.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • They took him 'cause he's a clean-cut, all-American boy.

  • Kenny looked so clean-cut over there, khakis cuffed just above the scoop of his shoes.

    Fiction book (1996)

Synonyms

neat
vsclean-cut
144 1.0

Clean and tidy with things in order

leans more to smart stylish presence rather than simple orderliness
tidy
vsclean-cut
47 1.0

Having things in order with no mess

adds a smart, stylish edge rather than only being orderly
sleek
vsclean-cut
20 3.7

Having a neat, stylish appearance from careful grooming

is a straightforward neat and smart appearance without excess refinement
dapper
vsclean-cut
16 6.2

Neat and stylish in the way a man dresses

is more neutral and general about smart, tidy appearance
well-groomed
vsclean-cut
9 3.5

Neat and tidy in appearance with clean clothes and neat hair

is the overall smart and tidy look rather than care detail
trim
vsclean-cut
5 3.0

Neat and slim in shape or style

focuses more on smart personal appearance than slimness or design
spruced up
vsclean-cut
  • Informal
3 4.6

Neat and attractive, often dressed or decorated for a special occasion

describes a steady smart everyday look rather than occasional dressing up
manicured
vsclean-cut
2 4.1

Neatly trimmed and kept to look perfect, like a lawn or nails

is simpler, meaning smart and tidy without aiming for perfection
trig
vsclean-cut
  • Archaic
1 9.2

A person or thing that looks neat and smart

is broader, covering overall smartness rather than concise presentation
groomed
vsclean-cut
3.0

Neat and clean in appearance because someone cares for it

is a general tidy and smart appearance rather than maintenance focus

Antonyms

23 3.8

Messy and untidy in clothes or appearance

13 5.1

Not neat in appearance, often with messy hair or clothes

How Neat

dapper
16 6.2
clean-cut
13 3.8
neat
144 1.0
tidy
47 1.0

Surface Forms

clean-cut positive

Morphology

clean-cut = clean + cut (transparent) = clean + cut

The compound directly conveys the idea of being neatly trimmed or well groomed (clean + cut), which learners can infer from the parts.

Etymology

Clean-cut comes from the two simple words clean ('free from dirt or mess') and cut ('neatly shaped'), like a tidy haircut or a well-cut suit. So, a clean-cut person looks neat, smart and well groomed.