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Glite Dictionary
well-shaven

well-shaven

3.0
A person with very little hair on the face or head after a recent shave
  • adjective
  • /wɛlˈʃeɪvən/
translation icon : bien afeitado
  • After a fresh haircut, he looked very well-shaven and presentable for the meeting.

Examples

  • He was slender and well-built, and there wasn't a speck of soot on his well-shaven face.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • He is well-shaven; his clothes are immaculate.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • He was courteous, charming, chivalrous, handsome, well-spoken, well-shaven, well-dressed, and completely senile.

    Academic text (2010)

  • The actor appeared well-shaven, giving him a polished and clean look on the red carpet.

  • He always makes sure to be well-shaven before going to important events.

Synonyms

shaven
vswell-shaven
23 2.7

Almost no hair on the face or head because it is cut close to the skin

emphasizes recent close removal and minimal visible hair rather than general removal
clean-shaven
vswell-shaven
12 3.5

A person with no hair on the face, like on the chin and cheeks

is the same idea but stresses recent close removal leaving little visible hair
shaved
vswell-shaven
1 1.0

Hair cut very close to the skin

stresses recent close removal and very little visible hair instead of mere cutting
smooth-shaven
vswell-shaven
1 3.7

Having a very smooth face and no beard

is more about skin feeling soft rather than only hair absence
smooth-faced
vswell-shaven
1 4.4

A person who has no hair on the face, like a young man without a beard

is similar but focuses on recent close removal rather than youth suggestion

Antonyms

scruffy
23 3.8

Messy and untidy in clothes or appearance

unshaven
10 3.0

Having short rough hair on the face like a light beard

How Clean-Shaven

well-shaven
3.0
stubbly
2 4.4
unshaven
10 3.0
scruffy
23 3.8

Surface Forms

well-shaven positive

Morphology

well-shaven = shaven (transparent) = well + shaven

'well-' meaning 'thoroughly' combined with 'shaven' yields 'thoroughly shaved', which is directly recoverable by learners who know the parts.

Etymology

Well-shaven breaks into well 'in a good or complete way' and shaven, from the verb shave meaning 'to cut hair very close'. So a well-shaven person has had a close, recent shave and shows little or no hair.