Meaning & use
neatness
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Meanings
noununcountable
the state or quality of being tidy, with everything in its proper place and no mess
Grammar: Uncountable: no plural, no 'a' or 'an'. You can say 'the neatness of the room' or 'a certain neatness'.
Patterns
- the neatness of something
- with neatness
She prides herself on the neatness of her desk, which is always clear of clutter.
The neatness of the garden showed how much care the owners gave it.
He folded his clothes with a neatness that surprised his roommate.
noununcountable
the quality of being done with care and precision, especially in writing or work
Grammar: Uncountable, but you can talk about 'a neatness' when describing a particular style or instance.
Patterns
- the neatness of something
- neatness in something
The neatness of her handwriting made the notes easy to read.
Teachers often reward neatness in students' work as much as accuracy.
The neatness of the final report impressed the manager.
Common combinations
- the neatness of
- The neatness of the kitchen pleased the inspector.
- with neatness
- He arranged the books with neatness and care.
- neatness and order
- The office was known for its neatness and order.
- personal neatness
- Personal neatness is important in this profession.
- a certain neatness
- There was a certain neatness to his argument.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tidiness
- Very close in meaning, but tidiness often suggests a habitual liking for order, while neatness can also mean precision in work.
- orderliness
- Suggests a system or method behind the arrangement, not just absence of mess.
- cleanliness
- Focuses on being free from dirt, not on things being arranged neatly.
- trimness
- Suggests an attractive, compact neatness, often of appearance or shape.
Opposites
Word family
- neat adjective
- Tidy and well arranged; also means 'good' in informal British English.
- neatly adverb
- In a tidy or precise way.
- neaten verb
- To make something tidy or more organized.
Commonly confused: neatness or tidiness? neatness or cleanliness?
neatness vs tidiness
Often interchangeable, but tidiness is more about the state of being arranged, while neatness can also refer to precision or skill.
neatness vs cleanliness
Cleanliness is about being free of dirt; neatness is about order and arrangement.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'neatness' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Neatness' is uncountable, so it is used without a plural or an article in this sense. Option B wrongly makes it plural, option C uses 'a' with an uncountable noun, and option D uses a plural form that does not exist.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “neatness”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.