cleanliness

noun

clean·​li·​ness ˈklen-lē-nəs How to pronounce cleanliness (audio)
: the quality or state of being clean : the practice of keeping oneself or one's surroundings clean
Though a stale remark, it can hardly be said too often, that personal cleanliness is one of the necessary agents to health …Walt Whitman
The Romans spent hours at their elaborate bathhouse complexes, but not everyone equated cleanliness with virtue …Sara Ivry
This cleanliness is necessary to ensure that no dust or particles end up on the silicon surface during the processing of the chip.Robert J. Cone

Examples of cleanliness in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Swimming in the Venice canals is prohibited for a variety of reasons, including the intense boat traffic and the cleanliness — or lack thereof — of the water, according to the city’s tourism ministry. Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025 Before cleanliness, security should be your number one priority. Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2025 Look around at the freshness of other dishes on display, and the cleanliness of the store's prep area. Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025 An obsession with cleanliness was one of the things my proud mother relegated to middle-class anxiety. Rachel Kushner, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cleanliness

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cleanliness was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Cleanliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleanliness. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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