as in trimming
to make neat
neatened the living room in anticipation of company
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Recent Examples of neatening
If your shrub is mostly dead at the bottom, try shaping it into an attractive tree form by removing lower limbs and neatening the top.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026
Several people milled around, neatening the area, touching up Cage’s makeup.
—Susan Orlean, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2025
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026
Several people milled around, neatening the area, touching up Cage’s makeup.
—Susan Orlean, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for neatening
Verb
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Then Pages drove him in by roping his own double into the left-field corner, trimming the Brewers’ lead to two runs.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
-
To prevent groundhogs, make your yard less inviting by securing trash, trimming brush, and fencing your garden.—
Helena Madden,
Martha Stewart,
23 May 2026
Verb
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On top of that, the permanent staff organizing the fest and the Marché du Film is now over 50 percent female, including in leadership positions.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
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High turnout, civic engagement, and community organizing still matter.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Loo and his family were also in the process of arranging shelter while evacuation orders remain in effect.—
Eric Licas,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2026
-
Duff-Smith was executed in 1993 for arranging the murder of his mother in 1975.—
Erik Ortiz,
NBC news,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Neatening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neatening. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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