clear the bill

USAGE SUMMARY

"clear the bill" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that you would like to pay off a bill that you owe. For example, "I can't wait to clear the bill so I can have some extra money to put into savings."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

32 human-written examples

However, it is now clear the bill will be considerably less.

The Guardian - Business

It is far from clear the bill can pass that chamber even with the Senate under Democratic control.

The New York Times

The arithmetic is clear: the bill isn't going to be passed, the referendum isn't going to happen.

The Guardian - Opinion

The House will be in session on Friday before also heading for a one-week break and is expected to clear the bill under mounting pressure.

The New York Times

Whatever the law's ultimate effect, many of this year's most egregious rate increases were announced well before it was clear the bill would pass.

The New York Times - Health

The Bloomberg administration, which has been wrangling over the plan with lawmakers and industry officials for months, released an unusually testy statement after it became clear the bill would not go forward during this week's session.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

28 human-written examples

Two Nashville Councilmen, Eric Crafton and Sean McGuire, tried repeal the minimum charge in July 2011, but withdrew when it was clear the bills couldn't pass.

Huffington Post

The Senate passed the measure Thursday, and the House vote clears the bill for President Obama's signature.

The New York Times

The voice vote in the House, following Senate passage by unanimous consent last week, clears the bill for President Bush.

The New York Times

Today's Senate vote, 92 to 2, clears the bill for President Bush, who said he would sign it.

The New York Times

The Senate on Thursday passed the revised version of the legislation, clearing the bill for the president, who said Congress was wasting time.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "clear the bill" when you want to emphasize the act of settling a financial obligation completely, ensuring no outstanding balance remains. For instance, when budgeting, plan to "clear the bill" each month to avoid accumulating debt.

Common error

Avoid using "clear the bill" interchangeably with phrases like "pay a bill" if you want to stress complete resolution. "Pay a bill" simply means making a payment, while "clear the bill" implies settling it entirely.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "clear the bill" functions as a verb phrase indicating the action of settling or paying off a debt completely. Ludwig AI confirms that this is a standard and usable English phrase. Examples from Ludwig show its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "clear the bill" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe completely paying off a debt. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in various contexts, predominantly in News & Media and Formal & Business settings. It signifies the complete resolution of a financial obligation, distinct from simply "paying the bill". When writing, use "clear the bill" to emphasize settling an account entirely, and be mindful of its broader implication compared to more general payment terms.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pay the bill

Focuses specifically on the act of payment, without necessarily implying a complete resolution.

take care of the bill

A more general way of saying to resolve the payment of a bill.

settle the account

Emphasizes resolving a financial balance or debt.

resolve the invoice

Focuses on the invoice document rather than the general concept of a bill.

discharge the debt

Implies a formal or legal release from an obligation.

close out the bill

Focuses on completing the financial transaction.

liquidate the debt

Focuses on converting assets to pay off the bill.

square the bill

An idiomatic way to describe settling a bill.

honor the payment

A formal way of saying to pay a bill.

meet the financial obligation

A formal way of referring to the act of settling a bill.

FAQs

What does it mean to "clear the bill"?

To "clear the bill" means to completely pay off an outstanding amount, resolving the debt entirely. It signifies a complete financial settlement.

What's a more formal way to say "clear the bill"?

A more formal alternative to "clear the bill" is to "settle the account" or "discharge the debt", particularly in business or legal contexts.

Is it different to "pay the bill" versus "clear the bill"?

Yes, while "pay the bill" generally means making a payment toward what is owed, "clear the bill" indicates that the entire amount due has been settled completely.

When is it appropriate to use "clear the bill"?

It's appropriate to use "clear the bill" when you want to convey the complete resolution of a financial obligation, such as after making the final payment on a debt.