Meaning & use
clear head
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
the ability to think calmly and clearly, especially when dealing with problems
Grammar: Often used with keep or have: You need to keep a clear head during the exam.
Patterns
- keep a clear head
- have a clear head
- need a clear head
- with a clear head
In an emergency, it's important to keep a clear head.
She always has a clear head when making decisions.
After a good night's sleep, I had a clear head and solved the problem.
Common combinations
- keep a clear head
- He kept a clear head despite the pressure.
- have a clear head
- I don't have a clear head today; I'm too tired.
- need a clear head
- You need a clear head to solve this puzzle.
- with a clear head
- She approached the problem with a clear head.
Synonyms and how they differ
- clear thinking
- Clear thinking refers to the process of thinking logically, while a clear head is the mental state that allows it.
- level-headed
- Level-headed is an adjective describing a calm person, whereas a clear head is a noun phrase for the mental clarity itself.
Opposites
Commonly confused: clear head or clear-headed?
clear head vs clear-headed
Clear-headed is an adjective meaning able to think clearly, while a clear head is the noun phrase for that ability.
Practice
It's hard to ______ a clear head when you're angry.
Choose one answer.
The common collocation is 'keep a clear head', meaning to stay calm and think clearly. 'Make a clear head' is not used; 'make' does not collocate with this phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “clear head”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.