neaten

verb

neat·​en ˈnē-tᵊn How to pronounce neaten (audio)
neatened; neatening ˈnēt-niŋ How to pronounce neaten (audio)
ˈnē-tᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

1
: to set in order : make neat
2
: to finish (something, such as a piece of sewing) carefully

Examples of neaten in a Sentence

I am trying to neaten my desk. neatened the living room in anticipation of company
Recent Examples on the Web To neaten the group, coil them up and twist a bread tie around them. Barbara Bellesi Zito, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2024 Use a curl-specific hair gel to neaten and smooth each side, applying a small amount down each section to be twisted. Dory Zayas, Parents, 26 July 2024 Fringes usually require neatening up every two to three weeks, and helpfully, many hairdressers offer free fringe trims in between salon visits. Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 3 June 2024 When the grout has hardened slightly, use a grout shaper or your finger to neaten up the joints. The Editors Of House Beautiful, House Beautiful, 10 Aug. 2021 But trimmers do more than neaten up. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 20 Mar. 2023 Cut ends to neaten up. Rita Nader Heikenfeld, The Enquirer, 4 Nov. 2022 Few things neaten a naturalistic garden like fresh edging around beds. Monica Cardoza, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2023 Speaking of space, keep scrolling to see a few helpful products that can quickly neaten your beauty station. Essence, 7 Oct. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'neaten.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of neaten was in 1828

Dictionary Entries Near neaten

Cite this Entry

“Neaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neaten. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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