Ask Difference

Sanitary vs. Clean — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Sanitary and Clean

ADVERTISEMENT

Definitions

Sanitary

Of or relating to health or the protection of health.

Clean

Free from dirt, marks, or stains
Keep the wound clean
The room was spotlessly clean

Sanitary

Free from elements, such as filth or pathogens, that endanger health; hygienic
Sanitary conditions for the preparation of food.

Clean

Morally uncontaminated; pure; innocent
Clean living

Sanitary

Of, or relating to health.
ADVERTISEMENT

Clean

Free from irregularities; having a smooth edge or surface
A clean fracture of the leg

Sanitary

Clean and free from pathogens; hygienic.

Clean

(of a taste, sound, or smell) giving a clear and distinctive impression to the senses; sharp and fresh
Clean, fresh, natural flavours

Sanitary

Sanitary towel.

Clean

So as to be free from dirt, marks, or unwanted matter
The room had been washed clean
ADVERTISEMENT

Sanitary

Of or pertaining to health; designed to secure or preserve health; relating to the preservation or restoration of health; hygienic; as, sanitary regulations. See the Note under Sanatory.

Clean

Used to emphasize the completeness of a reported action, condition, or experience
He was knocked clean off his feet
I clean forgot her birthday

Sanitary

Free from filth and pathogens;
Sanitary conditions for preparing food
A sanitary washroom

Clean

Make clean; remove dirt, marks, or stains from
Clean your teeth properly after meals
I cleaned up my room

Clean

An act of cleaning something
He gave the room a clean

Clean

Free from dirt, stain, or impurities; unsoiled
A clean kitchen floor.
Clean clothes.

Clean

Free from foreign matter or pollution; unadulterated
Clean air.
Clean drinking water.

Clean

Not infected
A clean wound.

Clean

Producing relatively little pollution
A clean fuel.
A cleaner, more efficient engine.

Clean

Producing relatively little radioactive fallout or contamination
A clean nuclear bomb.

Clean

Having no imperfections or blemishes; regular or even
A clean edge.
A smooth, clean joint.

Clean

Not ornate or intricate; spare
"the clean lines and exquisite proportions of early modernism" (Judith Thurman).

Clean

Sharply defined; clear-cut
A clean outline against the sky.

Clean

Free from clumsiness; deft; adroit
A clean throw.

Clean

Devoid of restrictions or encumbrances
A clean bill of health.

Clean

Thorough; complete
A clean getaway.

Clean

Having few alterations or corrections; legible
Clean manuscript.

Clean

Blank
A clean page.

Clean

Morally pure; virtuous
Led a clean life.

Clean

Having no marks of discredit or offense
A clean voting record.

Clean

Fit for all readers, listeners, or audiences; not ribald or obscene
A clean joke.

Clean

Honest or fair
A clean fighter.
A clean competition.

Clean

Not carrying concealed weapons or drugs.

Clean

Innocent of a suspected crime.

Clean

Free from narcotics addiction.

Clean

Showing no evidence of using banned or performance-enhancing substances
Proven to be clean before the race.

Clean

So as to be unsoiled
Wash the dishes clean.

Clean

In a fair manner
Played the game clean.

Clean

In a clean or nonpolluting manner
A fuel that burns clean.

Clean

(Informal) Entirely; wholly
Clean forgot the appointment.

Clean

To rid of dirt, rubbish, or impurities
Clean a room.
Clean a suit.

Clean

To get rid of (impurities or dirt, for example); remove
Cleaned up the trash.
Cleaned off the stains.

Clean

To prepare (fowl or other food) for cooking, as by removing the entrails or fat.

Clean

To remove the contents from; empty
Cleaned my plate.

Clean

(Sports) To lift (a barbell) from the floor to the shoulders in one motion.

Clean

To undergo or perform an act of cleaning.

Clean

Free of dirt or impurities or protruberances.

Clean

Not dirty.
Are these dishes clean?
Your room is finally clean!

Clean

In an unmarked condition.
Put a clean sheet of paper into the printer.

Clean

(aerodynamics) Allowing an uninterrupted flow over surfaces, without protrusions such as racks or landing gear.

Clean

(aviation) Having the undercarriage and flaps in the up position.

Clean

Empty.
The cargo hold is clean.
Mister, I want to see a clean dinner plate or there'll be no dessert for you.

Clean

(of metal) Having relatively few impurities.
Clean steel

Clean

Free of immorality or criminality.

Clean

Pure, especially morally or religiously.
Our kids can watch this movie because it is clean.

Clean

Not having used drugs or alcohol.
I've been clean this time for eight months.

Clean

(of criminal, driving, etc. records) Without restrictions or penalties, or someone having such a record.
Unlike you, I’ve never caused any accidents — my record is still clean!

Clean

(informal) Not in possession of weapons or contraband such as drugs.
I'm clean, officer. You can go ahead and search me if you want.

Clean

(informal) Devoid of profanity.

Clean

Smooth, exact, and performed well.
I'll need a sharper knife to make clean cuts.
A clean leap over a fence

Clean

(obsolete) Total; utter. still in "clean sweep"

Clean

(informal) Cool or neat.
Wow, Dude, those are some clean shoes ya got there!

Clean

(health) Being free of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
I want to make sure my fiancé is clean before we are married.

Clean

That does not damage the environment.
Clean energy;
Clean coal

Clean

Free from that which is useless or injurious; without defects.
Clean land;
Clean timber

Clean

Free from restraint or neglect; complete; entire.

Clean

Well-proportioned; shapely.
Clean limbs

Clean

Ascended without falling.

Clean

Removal of dirt.
This place needs a clean.

Clean

(weightlifting) The first part of the event clean and jerk in which the weight is brought from the ground to the shoulders.

Clean

(transitive) To remove dirt from a place or object.
Can you clean the windows today?

Clean

(transitive) To tidy up, make a place neat.
Clean your room right now!

Clean

To remove equipment from a climbing route after it was previously lead climbed.

Clean

(intransitive) To make things clean in general.
She just likes to clean. That’s why I married her.

Clean

To remove unnecessary files, etc. from (a directory, etc.).

Clean

To brush the ice lightly in front of a moving rock to remove any debris and ensure a correct line; less vigorous than a sweep.

Clean

To purge a raw of any blemishes caused by the scanning process such as brown tinting and poor color contrast.

Clean

(video games) clean up

Clean

To remove guts and/or scales of a butchered animal.

Clean

Fully and completely.
He was stabbed clean through.
You must be clean mad.

Clean

Free from dirt or filth; as, clean clothes.

Clean

Free from that which is useless or injurious; without defects; as, clean land; clean timber.

Clean

Free from awkwardness; not bungling; adroit; dexterous; as, a clean trick; a clean leap over a fence.

Clean

Free from errors and vulgarisms; as, a clean style.

Clean

Free from restraint or neglect; complete; entire.
When ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of corners of thy field.

Clean

Free from moral defilement; sinless; pure.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
That I am whole, and clean, and meet for Heaven

Clean

Free from ceremonial defilement.

Clean

Free from that which is corrupting to the morals; pure in tone; healthy.

Clean

Well-proportioned; shapely; as, clean limbs.

Clean

Without limitation or remainder; quite; perfectly; wholly; entirely.
All the people were passed clean over Jordan.

Clean

Without miscarriage; not bunglingly; dexterously.

Clean

To render clean; to free from whatever is foul, offensive, or extraneous; to purify; to cleanse.

Clean

A weightlift in which the barbell is lifted to shoulder height and then jerked overhead

Clean

Make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from;
Clean the stove!
The dentist cleaned my teeth

Clean

Remove unwanted substances from, such as feathers or pits;
Clean the turkey

Clean

Clean and tidy up the house;
She housecleans every week

Clean

Clean one's body or parts thereof, as by washing;
Clean up before you see your grandparents
Clean your fingernails before dinner

Clean

Be cleanable;
This stove cleans easily

Clean

Deprive wholly of money in a gambling game, robbery, etc.;
The other players cleaned him completely

Clean

Remove all contents or possession from, or empty completely;
The boys cleaned the sandwich platters
The trees were cleaned of apples by the storm

Clean

Remove while making clean;
Clean the spots off the rug

Clean

Remove unwanted substances from

Clean

Remove shells or husks from;
Clean grain before milling it

Clean

Free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits;
Children with clean shining faces
Clean white shirts
Clean dishes
A spotlessly clean house
Cats are clean animals

Clean

Free of restrictions or qualifications;
A clean bill of health
A clear winner

Clean

(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

Clean

Free from impurities;
Clean water
Fresh air

Clean

Without difficulties or problems;
A clean test flight

Clean

Ritually clean or pure

Clean

Not spreading pollution or contamination; especially radioactive contamination;
A clean fuel
Cleaner and more efficient engines
The tactical bomb is reasonably clean

Clean

(of behavior or especially language) free from objectionable elements; fit for all observers;
Good clean fun
A clean joke

Clean

Free from sepsis or infection;
A clean (or uninfected) wound

Clean

Morally pure;
Led a clean life

Clean

(of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections;
Fair copy
A clean manuscript

Clean

Of a surface; not written or printed on;
Blank pages
Fill in the blank spaces
A clean page
Wide white margins

Clean

Marked by or calling for sportsmanship or fair play;
A clean fight
A sporting solution of the disagreement
Sportsmanlike conduct

Clean

Thorough and without qualification;
A clean getaway
A clean sweep
A clean break

Clean

(of a record) having no marks of discredit or offense;
A clean voting recor
A clean driver's license

Clean

Not carrying concealed weapons

Clean

Free from clumsiness; precisely or deftly executed;
He landed a clean left on his opponent's cheek
A clean throw
The neat exactness of the surgeon's knife

Clean

Free of drugs;
After a long dependency on heroin she has been clean for 4 years

Clean

Completely; used as intensifiers;
Clean forgot the appointment
I'm plumb (or plum) tuckered out

Clean

In conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating;
They played fairly

Popular Comparisons

Featured Comparisons

Trending Comparisons

New Phrases