Cool MateClear down vs Organize
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Clear down
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Organize
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Most common: Organize
| Clear down | Organize | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //klɪə daʊn//🇺🇸 //klɪr daʊn// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈɔːɡənaɪz/","/ˈɔːɡənaɪzɪz/","/ˈɔːɡənaɪzd/","/ˈɔːɡənaɪzɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈɔːrɡənaɪz/","/ˈɔːrɡənaɪzɪz/","/ˈɔːrɡənaɪzd/","/ˈɔːrɡənaɪzɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To remove things, making a space clean. | To arrange things in a tidy way. |
| Example | I need to clear down my desk before the meeting. | I need to organize my room because it is very messy. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | clear down the workspace, clear down the clutter, clear down the room, clear down the equipment, clear down the data | effectively, efficiently, properly, seek to, try to, help (to), according to, around, into, effectively, efficiently, properly, seek to, try to, help (to), according to, around, into |
| Antonyms | - | disorganize, chaos, scatter |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'clear out', which can imply a more thorough removal., Using 'clear down' when referring to a decrease in something that isn't physical., Mixing up with 'clean up', which focuses more on cleaning rather than removing items. | Using 'organize' incorrectly as a noun., Confusing with 'organised' as a past tense in American English., Forgetting to include an object after 'organize'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'clear down' in neutral or semi-formal contexts. It's appropriate when talking about tidying up. Avoid it in highly formal situations. | Use 'organize' when referring to putting things in order, planning events, or structuring information. It's appropriate in both formal and informal contexts but tends to be neutral. |
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Frequently asked questions: Clear down vs Organize
What's the difference between Clear down and Organize?
Clear down: To remove things, making a space clean. Organize: To arrange things in a tidy way.
Which is more common: Clear down and Organize?
Organize is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Clear down: I need to clear down my desk before the meeting. Organize: I need to organize my room because it is very messy.
Can I use Clear down and Organize interchangeably?
Not always. Clear down and Organize are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.