cleanliness

noun

clean·​li·​ness ˈklen-lē-nəs How to pronounce cleanliness (audio)
Synonyms of cleanlinessnext
: 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
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The survey looked at 19 major chains, ranking them based on factors such as convenience of hours, the pickup process, location, website, selection of brands and cleanliness. Patrick Damp, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026 The stores were rated based on categories like quality and freshness of meat and produce, cleanliness, store layout and speed of the checkout process. Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 24 Feb. 2026 The index rates the grocery stores on numerous categories, including quality and freshness of meat and produce, speed of checkout process and the layout and cleanliness of stores. Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026 Symptoms include not just worrying about where the next restroom is, but also extreme concern about the cleanliness of public toilets. Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026 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 26 Feb. 2026.

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