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neat

neat

40 6.6
Clever on the surface but not deep
  • adjective
  • /niːt/
translation icon : simplista
  • Her explanation seemed clever at first, but it was too neat and didn't capture the complexities of the issue.
  • neat solution
  • neat categorization
  • neat distinction

I think that it's it's it's too neat of a system.

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Examples

  • But things aren't quite so neat and simple, are they?

  • "You know," she said, "your final idea was neat, I suppose, but it was too obvious."

    Fiction book (2001)
  • What the truth is, but science is, is not as neat as people like to think.

  • You made it all sound so neat and simple.

  • And yet the story is not quite as neat as I have suggested; stories never are.

    Academic text (2005)
  • And in the real world, you need more than a neat, little detective story.

  • And life doesn't offer you things in those neat packages.

  • Come on, it's all over, wrapped up neat and tidy.

  • There are two easy, neat solutions to the problem of overlap between ability and achievement tests.

    Academic text (2006)
  • That's the Lagrangian, and now it has a very, very neat form.

Synonyms

slick
vsneat
91 4.7

Very smooth and attractive but not sincere or deep

is superficially impressive through cleverness rather than polished appearance
facile
vsneat
7 8.4

Gives a simple explanation that ignores deeper problems

is superficially impressive without addressing deeper issues
clever-clever
vsneat
  • Offensive
8.8

Someone who acts as if they are smarter than other people to show off

is superficially clever but without the overt smug display

Compounds

neat-freak
  • Informal
7 7.9

A person who likes to keep things very clean and tidy

Clean and well organized with no mess

1 5.6

A glass of whiskey served without ice or mixer at room temperature

How Clever

brilliant
949 3.7
ingenious
75 5.8
clever
573 1.7
neat
40 6.6
simple
1.0

Surface Forms

neat positive
neater comparative
neatest superlative

Etymology

Neat can also mean a clever but shallow solution; a helpful way to remember this is to think of something done very 'neatly' on the surface so it looks good but does not go deep.