Words / A2

NEET/niːt/

Neat means tidy and carefully arranged: a neat desk, neat handwriting, keep it neat. Tidy is a close everyday cousin. Messy is the opposite. Neat can also mean clever (a neat trick) — extra. Do not write neat when you mean knit (make wool clothes), or need.

Meaning

Tidy and carefully arranged.

Examples

• “Keep your desk neat during the exam.”
• “Her notes are always neat and easy to read.”
• “Fold the towels in a neat pile in the cupboard.”

Good to know

neat handwriting / a neat desk. Cousin: tidy. Opposite: messy. Mix-up: knit.

Near in meaning

tidy

New