Clear vs. Transparent: Difference and Comparison
By Muazma Batool & Muneeza Rehman — Published on May 24, 2024
Clear materials allow light to pass so objects are visible though possibly distorted, while transparent materials enable a perfect, undistorted view through them.
Difference Between Clear and Transparent
Clear materials permit light to penetrate, making objects on the other side recognizable, but details might be blurry. On the other hand, transparent materials allow light to pass through such that objects can be seen clearly and distinctly.
Muazma Batool
May 24, 2024
Clear items often exhibit some level of translucency where light transmission occurs but without detailed clarity. Whereas transparent items provide an unobstructed passage for light, preserving the true colors and forms of objects behind them.
Muazma Batool
May 24, 2024
Clear substances might include frosted glass, which lets light through while obscuring fine details. Conversely, transparent substances include materials like clean glass or certain plastics that offer perfect visibility.
Muazma Batool
May 24, 2024
In contexts like communication, clear implies understandable or free from confusion. Transparent communication, however, indicates a full disclosure and openness that leaves nothing hidden.
Kaitlyn
May 24, 2024
In terms of appearance, a clear sky means no clouds are blocking the sun, whereas a transparent air day refers to an atmosphere so devoid of pollution or moisture that visibility is exceptionally high.
Olivia
May 24, 2024
Clear vs. Transparent Comparison Chart
Visibility of Objects
Objects visible but not clear
Objects perfectly visible
Muazma Batool
May 24, 2024
Common Usage
Often used in metaphorical sense (e.g., clear instructions)
Often used to describe materials and straightforward facts (e.g., transparent motives)
Muazma Batool
May 24, 2024
Clear vs. Transparent Definitions
◉Transparent
Having the property of transmitting light without scattering.
The waters of the lake were perfectly transparent.
Henry
Apr 29, 2024
◉Clear
Easily perceptible to the eye or ear.
He spoke in a clear and loud voice.
Muazma Batool
Apr 29, 2024
◉Transparent
Easy to perceive or detect.
Her feelings about the issue were transparent.
Muazma Batool
Apr 29, 2024
◉Transparent
Free from pretense or deceit.
He was transparent about his reasons for leaving.
Leo
Apr 29, 2024
◉Transparent
Capable of transmitting light so that objects or images can be seen as if there were no intervening material.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free from flaw, blemish, or impurity
A clear, perfect diamond.
A clear record with the police.
Jonathan
Apr 27, 2024
◉Transparent
Permeable to electromagnetic radiation of specified frequencies, as to visible light or radio waves.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free from impediment, obstruction, or hindrance; open
A clear view.
A clear path to victory.
Nolan
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Easily perceptible to the eye or ear; distinct
The clear call of a songbird.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Transparent
Open to public scrutiny; not hidden or proprietary
Transparent financial records.
Kaitlyn
Apr 27, 2024
◉Transparent
(of a material or object) See-through, clear; having the property that light passes through it almost undisturbed, such that one can see through it clearly.
The waters of the lake were transparent until the factory dumped waste there.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Transparent
(of a system or organization) Open, public; having the property that theories and practices are publicly visible, thereby reducing the chance of corruption.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Having been freed from contact, proximity, or connection
At last we were clear of the danger. The ship was clear of the reef.
Jonathan
Apr 27, 2024
◉Transparent
Obvious; readily apparent; easy to see or understand.
His reasons for the decision were transparent.
I love playing poker with Steve, because he's so transparent.
Kaitlyn
Apr 27, 2024
◉Transparent
(signal processing) Having the property of transparency, i.e. sufficiently accurate that the compressed result is perceptually indistinguishable from the uncompressed input.
Olivia
Apr 27, 2024
◉Transparent
(computing) Not noticeable because it happens automatically or in the background; invisible.
Kaitlyn
Apr 27, 2024
◉Transparent
Of an image or animated gif, having parts that do not overwrite the color of the background the image is placed over.
Nolan
Apr 27, 2024
◉Transparent
Having the property of transmitting rays of light, so that bodies can be distinctly seen through; pervious to light; diaphanous; pellucid; as, transparent glass; a transparent diamond; - opposed to opaque.
Elijah
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(Informal) All the way; completely
Slept clear through the night.
Read the book clear to the end.
Lucas
Apr 27, 2024
◉Transparent
Transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity;
The cold crystalline water of melted snow
Crystal clear skies
Could see the sand on the bottom of the limpid pool
Lucid air
A pellucid brook
Transparent cristal
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To rid of impurities, blemishes, muddiness, or foreign matter
The new filter cleared the water.
Leo
Apr 27, 2024
◉Transparent
So thin as to transmit light;
A hat with a diaphanous veil
Filmy wings of a moth
Gauzy clouds of dandelion down
Gossamer cobwebs
Sheer silk stockings
Transparent chiffon
Vaporous silks
Leo
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To free from confusion, doubt, or ambiguity; make plain or intelligible
Cleared up the question of responsibility.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Transparent
Easily understood or seen through (because of a lack of subtlety);
A transparent explanation
A transparent lie
Lucas
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To make (a way or clearing) by removing obstructions
Clear a path through the jungle.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To remove (objects or obstructions)
Clear the dishes.
Clear snow from the road.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To move or shoot (a ball or puck) away from the goal or out of the defensive zone.
Lucas
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To clear a ball or puck out of (the defensive zone), as in lacrosse or hockey.
Jonathan
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To free from a legal charge or imputation of guilt; acquit
Cleared the suspect of the murder charge.
Elijah
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To pass (a bill of exchange, such as a check) through a clearing-house.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To free (a ship or cargo) from legal detention at a harbor by fulfilling customs and harbor requirements.
Levi
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To exchange checks and bills or settle accounts through a clearing-house.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To pass through the banking system and be debited and credited to the relevant accounts
The check cleared.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To comply with customs and harbor requirements in discharging a cargo or in leaving or entering a port.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Bright; luminous; not dark or obscured.
The windshield was clear and clean.
Congress passed the President’s Clear Skies legislation.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free of obstacles.
The driver had mistakenly thought the intersection was clear.
The coast is clear.
Nolan
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(meteorology) Of the sky, such that less than one eighth of its area is obscured by clouds.
William
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free of ambiguity or doubt.
He gave clear instructions not to bother him at work.
Do I make myself clear? Crystal clear.
I'm still not quite clear on what some of these words mean.
Kaitlyn
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Possessing little or no perceptible stimulus.
Clear of texture; clear of odor
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Able to perceive clearly; keen; acute; penetrating; discriminating.
A clear intellect; a clear head
Henry
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Without defects or blemishes, such as freckles or knots.
A clear complexion; clear lumber
William
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
All the way; entirely.
I threw it clear across the river to the other side.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Not near something or touching it.
Stand clear of the rails, a train is coming.
Levi
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(transitive) To remove obstructions, impediments or other unwanted items from.
Police took two hours to clear the road.
If you clear the table, I'll wash up.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(transitive) To remove (items or material) so as to leave something unobstructed or open.
Please clear all this stuff off the table.
The loggers came and cleared the trees.
William
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(intransitive) To become free from obstruction or obscurement; to become transparent.
When the road cleared we continued our journey.
After a heavy rain, the sky cleared nicely for the evening.
Shake the test tube well, and the liquid should slowly clear.
Leo
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(transitive) To eliminate ambiguity or doubt from (a matter); to clarify or resolve; to clear up.
We need to clear this issue once and for all.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(transitive) To remove from suspicion, especially of having committed a crime.
The court cleared the man of murder.
Leo
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(transitive) To pass without interference; to miss.
The door just barely clears the table as it closes.
The leaping horse easily cleared the hurdles.
Leo
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To exceed a stated mark.
She was the first female high jumper to clear two metres.
Jonathan
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To finish or complete (a stage, challenge, or game).
I cleared the first level in 36 seconds.
Kaitlyn
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(intransitive) Of a check or financial transaction, to go through as payment; to be processed so that the money is transferred.
The check might not clear for a couple of days.
Olivia
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(transitive) To approve or authorise for a particular purpose or action; to give clearance to.
Air traffic control cleared the plane to land.
The marketing department has cleared the press release for publication.
Elijah
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(transitive) To obtain approval or authorisation in respect of.
I've cleared the press release with the marketing department, so go ahead and publish it.
Olivia
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(intransitive) To obtain a clearance.
The steamer cleared for Liverpool today.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(transitive) To obtain permission to use (a sample of copyrighted audio) in another track.
Levi
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To disengage oneself from incumbrances, distress, or entanglements; to become free.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To hit, kick, head, punch etc. (a ball, puck) away in order to defend one's goal.
The goalkeeper rushed forward to clear the ball.
A low cross came in, and Smith cleared.
Elijah
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To reset or unset; to return to an empty state or to zero.
To clear an array;
To clear a single bit (binary digit) in a value
Leo
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To style (an element within a document) so that it is not permitted to float at a given position.
Lucas
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(carpentry) Full extent; distance between extreme limits; especially; the distance between the nearest surfaces of two bodies, or the space between walls.
A room ten feet square in the clear
Elijah
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(video games) The completion of a stage or challenge, or of the whole game.
It took me weeks to achieve a one-credit clear (1CC).
Henry
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free from opaqueness; transparent; bright; light; luminous; unclouded.
The stream is so transparent, pure, and clear.
Fair as the moon, clear as the sun.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free from ambiguity or indistinctness; lucid; perspicuous; plain; evident; manifest; indubitable.
One truth is clear; whatever is, is right.
Jonathan
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Able to perceive clearly; keen; acute; penetrating; discriminating; as, a clear intellect; a clear head.
Mother of science! now I feel thy powerWithin me clear, not only to discernThings in their causes, but to trace the waysOf highest agents.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Not clouded with passion; serene; cheerful.
With a countenance as clearAs friendship wears at feasts.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Easily or distinctly heard; audible; canorous.
Hark! the numbers soft and clearGently steal upon the ear.
Olivia
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Without defect or blemish, such as freckles or knots; as, a clear complexion; clear lumber.
William
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free from guilt or stain; unblemished.
Statesman, yet friend to truth! in soul sincere,In action faithful, and in honor clear.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Without diminution; in full; net; as, clear profit.
I often wished that I had clear,For life, six hundred pounds a-year.
Levi
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free from impediment or obstruction; unobstructed; as, a clear view; to keep clear of debt.
My companion . . . left the way clear for him.
William
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free from embarrassment; detention, etc.
The cruel corporal whispered in my ear,Five pounds, if rightly tipped, would set me clear.
Lucas
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Full extent; distance between extreme limits; especially; the distance between the nearest surfaces of two bodies, or the space between walls; as, a room ten feet square in the clear.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
In a clear manner; plainly.
Now clear I understandWhat oft . . . thoughts have searched in vain.
Nolan
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Without limitation; wholly; quite; entirely; as, to cut a piece clear off.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To render bright, transparent, or undimmed; to free from clouds.
He sweeps the skies and clears the cloudy north.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To free from obscurity or ambiguity; to relive of perplexity; to make perspicuous.
Many knotty points there areWhich all discuss, but few can clear.
William
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To render more quick or acute, as the understanding; to make perspicacious.
Our common prints would clear up their understandings.
Jonathan
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To free from impediment or incumbrance, from defilement, or from anything injurious, useless, or offensive; as, to clear land of trees or brushwood, or from stones; to clear the sight or the voice; to clear one's self from debt; - often used with of, off, away, or out.
Clear your mind of cant.
A statue lies hid in a block of marble; and the art of the statuary only clears away the superfluous matter.
Kaitlyn
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To free from the imputation of guilt; to justify, vindicate, or acquit; - often used with from before the thing imputed.
I . . . am sure he will clear me from partiality.
How! wouldst thou clear rebellion?
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To leap or pass by, or over, without touching or failure; as, to clear a hedge; to clear a reef.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To gain without deduction; to net.
The profit which she cleared on the cargo.
Olivia
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To become free from clouds or fog; to become fair; - of the weather; - often followed by up, off, or away.
So foul a sky clears not without a storm.
Advise him to stay till the weather clears up.
William
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To become free from turbidity; - of solutions or suspensions of liquids; as, the salt has not completely dissolved until the suspension clears up; when refrigerated, the juice may become cloudy, but when warmed to room temperature, it clears up again.
Levi
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To disengage one's self from incumbrances, distress, or entanglements; to become free.
He that clears at once will relapse; for finding himself out of straits, he will revert to his customs; but he that cleareth by degrees induceth a habit of frugality.
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
To make exchanges of checks and bills, and settle balances, as is done in a clearing house.
Leo
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
The state of being free of suspicion;
Investigation showed that he was in the clear
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
A clear or unobstructed space or expanse of land or water;
Finally broke out of the forest into the open
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Make a way or path by removing objects;
Clear a path through the dense forest
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Grant authorization or clearance for;
Clear the manuscript for publication
The rock star never authorized this slanderous biography
Levi
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Be debited and credited to the proper bank accounts;
The check will clear within 2 business days
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Pass by, over, or under without making contact;
The balloon cleared the tree tops
Kaitlyn
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear;
Could you clarify these remarks?
Clear up the question of who is at fault
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free from payment of customs duties, as of a shipment;
Clear the ship and let it dock
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Clear from impurities, blemishes, pollution, etc.;
Clear the water before it can be drunk
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages;
How much do you make a month in your new job?
She earns a lot in her new job
This merger brought in lots of money
He clears $5,000 each month
William
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Pronounce not guilty of criminal charges;
The suspect was cleared of the murder charges
Lucas
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Make clear, bright, light, or translucent;
The water had to be cleared through filtering
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Remove (people) from a building;
Clear the patrons from the theater after the bomb threat
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Clear to the mind;
A clear and present danger
A clear explanation
A clear case of murder
A clear indication that she was angry
Gave us a clear idea of human nature
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free from confusion or doubt;
A complex problem requiring a clear head
Not clear about what is expected of us
Levi
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free from cloudiness; allowing light to pass through;
Clear water
Clear plastic bags
Clear glass
The air is clear and clean
Elijah
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free from contact or proximity or connection;
We were clear of the danger
The ship was clear of the reef
William
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Characterized by freedom from troubling thoughts (especially guilt);
A clear conscience
Regarded her questioner with clear untroubled eyes
Kaitlyn
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(of sound or color) free from anything that dulls or dims;
Efforts to obtain a clean bass in orchestral recordings
Clear laughter like a waterfall
Clear reds and blues
A light lilting voice like a silver bell
Leo
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
(especially of a title) free from any encumberance or limitation that presents a question of fact or law;
I have clear title to this property
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Clear and distinct to the senses; easily perceptible;
As clear as a whistle
Clear footprints in the snow
The letter brought back a clear image of his grandfather
A spire clean-cut against the sky
A clear-cut pattern
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free of restrictions or qualifications;
A clean bill of health
A clear winner
Muazma Batool
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Freed from any question of guilt;
Is absolved from all blame
Was now clear of the charge of cowardice
His official honor is vindicated
Lucas
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Characterized by ease and quickness in perceiving;
Clear mind
A percipient author
Leo
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Of complexion; without such blemishes as e.g. acne;
The clear complexion of a healthy young woman
Lucas
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Completely;
Read the book clear to the end
Slept clear through the night
There were open fields clear to the horizon
Lucas
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
In an easily perceptible manner;
Could be seen clearly under the microscope
She cried loud and clear
Lucas
Apr 27, 2024
◉Clear
Free from obscurity.
She gave a clear explanation of the company's policy.
Muazma Batool
Apr 29, 2024
◉Clear
Free from doubt or confusion.
His intentions were clear from the start.
Muazma Batool
Apr 29, 2024
Clear vs. Transparent Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary characteristic of transparent materials?
Transparent materials allow light to pass through them so clearly that the details on the other side are visible without distortion.
Muazma Batool
May 24, 2024
Can clear also mean transparent?
Yes, in some contexts, clear can be synonymous with transparent, especially when referring to comprehensibility or lack of obstructions.
Muazma Batool
May 24, 2024
How do clear and transparent differ in practical applications?
Clear materials are used where some light passage is necessary but fine detail is not crucial, such as frosted glass windows. Transparent materials are used where clear visibility is required, such as in windshields.
Muazma Batool
May 24, 2024
What does transparent communication mean?
Transparent communication involves sharing information openly and honestly, without omitting any details that might mislead.
Muazma Batool
May 24, 2024
What does it mean when a material is described as clear?
Clear materials allow light to pass through but may not perfectly show details through them.
Muazma Batool
May 24, 2024
Why might someone prefer a clear material over a transparent one?
Someone might prefer clear materials for privacy or stylistic reasons, as they blur details and sometimes diffuse light in an appealing way.
Henry
May 24, 2024
What is an example of a clear communication?
A clear communication is one that is straightforward and easy to understand, with no ambiguity.
Levi
May 24, 2024
Is transparency always physical in terms of description?
No, transparency can also describe intangible qualities like openness and honesty in contexts such as corporate governance or personal behavior.
Muazma Batool
May 24, 2024
Can glass be both clear and transparent?
Yes, glass can be both clear and transparent, offering unobstructed and undistorted views.
William
May 24, 2024
How do clear skies differ from transparent air?
Clear skies are generally free from clouds, whereas transparent air refers to air free from pollutants or haze, enhancing visibility.
Kaitlyn
May 24, 2024
What makes a clear instruction valuable?
Clear instructions are valued for being straightforward, easy to follow, and free from ambiguity, which aids in accurate execution.
Elijah
May 24, 2024
Content Creators
Written by
Muazma BatoolAs a content editor, Muazma Batool is not just a grammar guru but a creative mastermind who breathes life into every word. With an eagle eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, she transforms bland text into engaging content that captivates audiences and drives results.
Co-written by
Muneeza RehmanAt Comparisons.wiki, Muneeza skillfully navigates the vast sea of information, ensuring clarity and accuracy as the lead content editor. With a keen eye for detail, she curates every comparison to enlighten and engage readers.
