clue
noun · verb
Simple meaning
Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
klooIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈklu
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion.
Insight or understanding ("to have a clue [about]" or "to have clue". See have a clue, clue stick)
An object or a kind of indication which may be used as evidence.
A slight indication
The board game Cluedo whose goal is to solve the mystery of a fictitious murder.
verb
To provide someone with information which they lack (often used with "in" or "up").
To roll into a ball
To provide with a clue.
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion.
Used this way, clue is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use clue
- “The detective found a crucial clue at the crime scene.”
Share your sentence
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: to provide someone with information which they lack (often used with "in"
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “clue” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.