How to pronounce clean
Say it like KLEEN. Clean is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- KLEEN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Clean pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KLEENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of clean
American and British speakers say clean in essentially the same way: /klin/ in the US and /kliːn/ in the UK.
British respelling: KLEEN.
What does clean mean?
- Free of dirt, filth, or impurities (extraneous matter); not dirty, filthy, or soiled.“Are these dishes clean? Your room is finally clean! For a baby, happiness is a full bottle and a clean diaper.”
- Of metal, having relatively few impurities.“clean steel”
- Not muscular due to steroid use.“I don't think he's clean, look at those traps.”
- A removal of dirt.“This place needs a clean.”
- The first part of the event clean and jerk in which the weight is brought from the ground to the shoulders.
- Of heavy metal, clear vocals, contrasted with death growls and screams.
- To remove dirt from a place or object.“Can you clean the windows today?”
- To tidy up, make a place neat.“Clean your room right now!”
- To make things clean in general.“She just likes to clean. That’s why I married her.”
Where does clean come from?
Cognate with Alemannic German chlei, chli, chlii, chly, klei (“small”), Bavarian gloa, kla, klaa, kloa, kloan (“small; young; insignificant”), Central Franconian and Low German kleen (“small”), Cimbrian khlòan, khlumma (“small”), Dutch and
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with clean
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of clean.
Questions about saying clean
How do you pronounce clean?
Say KLEEN. The American pronunciation is /klin/. In British English it is /kliːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in clean?
Clean is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KLEEN.
Do Americans and Brits say clean the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /klin/ and the British form is /kliːn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.