# neat

/ˈnit/ (US) · /nˈiːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/neat
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. tidy and organized

adjective · CEFR A2

arranged in a tidy way; organized and clean.

For teachers: orderly and clean in appearance or procedure; characterized by precision and organization.

- He kept his desk very neat, with every pen and paper in its place.
- The accountant maintained a remarkably neat filing system, ensuring that any document from the last decade could be retrieved within seconds.

### 2. cool or great

adjective · CEFR B1 · Informal · American English

good, interesting, or impressive.

For teachers: used colloquially to express approval or to describe something as clever or desirable.

- That is a really neat trick; how did you do it?
- It was a neat solution to a complex problem, satisfying both the engineering requirements and the tight budget constraints.

### 3. drinks without ice

adjective · CEFR B2

served as a single liquid without adding water, ice, or other drinks.

For teachers: referring to liquor served at room temperature without any water, ice, or mixer.

- He ordered a scotch neat and sat by the fireplace to drink it.
- The connoisseur insisted on tasting the vintage bourbon neat to fully appreciate the subtle notes of oak and vanilla.

Usage: Usually follows the noun in a bar order, such as 'a whisky neat'.

### 4. undiluted chemicals

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

a chemical or liquid used on its own without being mixed with anything else.

For teachers: referring to a liquid reagent or gas used without a solvent or cosolvent.

- The experiment requires the use of neat acid, so please wear gloves.
- The reaction was performed under neat conditions to prevent the solvent from interfering with the delicate molecular bonding process.

### 5. clever and simple

adjective · CEFR B2

simple and effective, but perhaps missing some details.

For teachers: characterized by a simple elegance or precision that may occasionally overlook underlying complexities.

- The book provides a neat explanation of how the internet works.
- While the theory offers a neat summary of the events, it fails to account for the political motivations of the secondary characters.

## Examples

- She keeps her desk very neat and organized.
- The architect came up with a neat solution to fit a full kitchen into the tiny studio apartment.
- While the presentation was visually neat, the underlying data lacked the rigor required for a peer-reviewed journal, suggesting style had been prioritized over substance.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.