verb phrase🎓 English idiom
clear the air
to resolve a misunderstanding
What it means
To clear the air means to resolve a misunderstanding or release built-up tension by discussing it openly and honestly. It's used when an awkward or unspoken conflict needs an honest conversation so everyone can move forward.
Words like “clear the air” are exactly the kind of vocabulary our English vocabulary size test measures — find out how many English words you know.
Examples
- Let's sit down and clear the air before this small disagreement gets worse.
- After their argument, a long talk finally cleared the air between them.
- I think we need to clear the air about what happened at the meeting.
- A team-building day helped clear the air after months of quiet tension.
Where it comes from
The expression draws on the literal image of a storm or fresh wind clearing a stuffy, oppressive atmosphere, leaving the air feeling lighter afterward.
Related idioms
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