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clear sign

clear sign

10 1.3
An obvious thing that shows something is true
  • noun
translation icon : señal clara
  • The dark clouds gathering overhead were a clear sign that a storm was approaching.
  • showed clear signs
  • one clear sign

And if you have to do it, that's a clear sign something is wrong.

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Examples

  • In the last few days, there had been clear signs that Gates was getting restless.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Look at this, it's a clear sign of a struggle.

  • One clear sign is if the students consistently do not finish the book.

    Academic text (2014)
  • The flood of new immigrants entering the job market is one clear sign that opportunity still exists.

    Academic text (1991)
  • In detective Bodine's report, it states "There are clear signs of physical abuse."

  • This was a clear sign of Sparta's trust in the loyalty and skills of these Arcadian soldiers.

  • The door was braced with heavy crossbeams, a clear sign of earthquake damage.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • As a consequence, the 1926 amendments marked the first clear sign that federal bankruptcy law had achieved permanence.

    Academic text (2017)
  • The sudden drop in sales was a clear sign that the product needed improvement.

  • His absence from the meeting was a clear sign of his disinterest in the project.

Synonyms

sign
vsclear sign
3.2

An event that shows something is happening or will happen

is more obvious and unmistakable than that
indication
vsclear sign
382 3.9

A sign that shows something is true or likely

is stronger, meaning it is obvious rather than merely suggestive
writing on the wall
vsclear sign
  • Informal
14 5.5

A clear sign that something bad will happen

is neutral and not necessarily a warning, only obviously present

Antonyms

68 6.3

Not clear because it can have more than one meaning

How Explicit

clear sign
10 1.3
hint
229 1.5
a hint of
180 2.4

Surface Forms

clear sign singular
clear signs plural

Morphology

clear + sign

The meaning 'an obvious or unmistakable indication' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'clear' (easy to understand/not ambiguous) with 'sign' (an indication). This simple adjective + noun compositional pattern is cross-linguistically common and would be immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Clear sign comes from the image of a real sign with clear letters that anyone can see and read. That's why we use it today to mean 'an obvious or unmistakable indication'.