cleaner
B1Neutral; used in both formal and informal contexts, though the specific noun forms are everyday.
Definition
Meaning
A person whose job is to clean surfaces, rooms, or buildings; a substance or device used for cleaning.
In computing, a program that removes unnecessary or temporary files. In informal contexts, can refer to a person who 'cleans up' a problematic situation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun. Can be a count noun (a cleaner, two cleaners) or a mass noun (some cleaner). The comparative form of the adjective 'clean' is homographic but distinct in syntactic use.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'cleaner' (occupation) is standard. In the US, 'janitor' or 'custodian' is more common for building maintenance, while 'house cleaner' or 'cleaning lady' is common domestically. 'Cleaner' (substance) is identical.
Connotations
In the UK, 'cleaner' is a neutral job title. In the US, 'janitor' may carry slightly more blue-collar connotations than 'custodian'.
Frequency
The occupational term is more frequent in UK English. The substance/device term is equally frequent.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[det] cleaner (for/of NP)NP + be + [comparative] cleaner than + NPuse/apply [det] cleanerVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “take someone to the cleaners (informal: defeat thoroughly or charge excessively)”
- “come clean (confess, unrelated but phonetically similar)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to commercial cleaning services or industrial cleaning products.
Academic
Rare; may appear in environmental or domestic labour studies.
Everyday
Very common for household products and domestic help.
Technical
Specific to chemistry (solvents, abrasives) or computing (disk cleaner).
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- After the storm, the air felt cleaner.
- Her record is cleaner than his.
American English
- This fuel is much cleaner for the environment.
- I need a cleaner copy of the document.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The cleaner comes every Tuesday.
- I use a special cleaner for the windows.
- My hands are cleaner now.
- We hired a cleaner to help with the housework.
- This new kitchen cleaner removes grease effectively.
- The city centre is cleaner than it was ten years ago.
- The company contracted an industrial cleaner to decontaminate the site.
- As a comparative adjective, 'cleaner' must be followed by 'than' when a standard is specified.
- He runs a successful office cleaning business with several cleaners on staff.
- The activist advocated for cleaner energy policies to mitigate climate change.
- The forensic cleaner meticulously restored the scene after the investigation.
- The software includes a registry cleaner to optimise system performance.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A vacuum CLEANER makes floors CLEAN-ER (more clean).
Conceptual Metaphor
CLEANLINESS IS PURITY / ORDER; A CLEANER IS AN AGENT OF RESTORATION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'чистильщик' (more like 'polisher' or 'peeler'). 'Cleaner' (person) is closer to 'уборщик(ца)'. 'Cleaner' (substance) is 'чистящее средство'. The comparative adjective 'cleaner' (чище) is a different part of speech.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'more clean' instead of 'cleaner' as the comparative adjective in simple contexts. Incorrect: 'This room is more clean.' Correct: 'This room is cleaner.' Confusing 'cleaner' (noun) with 'cleaner' (adj. comparative) in sentence structure.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'cleaner' as a comparative adjective?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Cleaner' is primarily a noun (a person or thing that cleans). However, it is also the standard comparative form of the adjective 'clean' (e.g., 'This room is cleaner').
'Cleaner' is the comparative form, used when comparing two things (cleaner than...). 'Cleanest' is the superlative form, used when comparing three or more things (the cleanest of all).
For the adjective 'clean', the regular comparative 'cleaner' is preferred and more common. 'More clean' is grammatically possible but sounds awkward and is rarely used in standard English.
The term 'vacuum cleaner' is standard in both. In informal British English, it's often shortened to 'hoover' (a brand name). In informal American English, it's often shortened to 'vacuum'.
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