clue

1 of 2

noun

1
: something that guides through an intricate procedure or maze of difficulties
specifically : a piece of evidence that leads one toward the solution of a problem
2
: idea, notion
had no clue what he meant

clue

2 of 2

verb

clued; clueing or cluing

transitive verb

1
: to provide with a clue
2
: to give reliable information to
he clued me in on how it happened

Did you know?

The word clue was originally a variant spelling of clew, meaning “ball of thread or yarn.” Our modern sense of clue, “guide to the solution of a mystery,” grows out of a motif in myth and folklore, the ball of thread that helps in finding one’s way out of a maze. Of these stories the best known is the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. In the myth, Theseus unravels a ball of thread as he searches for the monstrous Minotaur in the Labyrinth. After killing the Minotaur, he retraces his steps out of the maze by rewinding the thread.

Examples of clue in a Sentence

Noun The book gives the reader plenty of clues to solve the mystery. Science gives us clues about the origin of the universe. “Guess who I met today.” “Can you give me a clue?” It gives a clue as to how to proceed.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Whether or not Crystal ever gives hosting another shot, his past performances offer clues to what could make the next emcees great. Fran Hoepfner, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2024 Here are four factors or trends that could offer clues to whether a bubble is forming now: The appetite for initial public offerings An IPO is the process in which corporations sell stock to the public for the first time. The Arizona Republic, 10 Mar. 2024 There’s a sense of urgency to the game, which offers clues to the motivations of those who built and distributed it. Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Clearly, those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade have no clue about the power of women in America. USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 Still, small clues are given along the way to help make final guesses on who is the voice behind the mask. Francesca Gariano, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 Thus kicks off a cat-and-mouse game, or rather, a beast-and-beauty hunt in which Elodie must Lara Croft her way through caverns, over cliffs, and under pools of water, putting together clues left by her late princess predecessors in order to avoid becoming this season’s snack. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 Another Masked Singer season means another batch of clue packages to sift and sort through. Lauren Huff, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 Often, leaves covered in powdery, black sooty mold is your first clue to these pests in citrus. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024
Verb
The fact that the show was able to clue viewers in — while keeping volunteer sheriff's deputy Dwight in the dark — was an inspired twist. Erin Strecker, EW.com, 21 Feb. 2024 Even the soundtrack is intriguing and clues us into things happening in the background and periphery. Tim Moffatt, EW.com, 26 Jan. 2024 Three are trivia questions, none are particularly easy and all are clued straightforwardly enough that the whole shebang might have flown right over my head without an explanatory entry, or revealer, at 56-Across. Caitlin Lovinger, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2024 Yells from an island off Maine’s coast helped clue rescuers in on where a missing man was located. Makiya Seminera, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2024 While modern plastic medallions are occasionally given as gifts to clue writers and hunt winners, the original set of five medallions was not intended to leave the Pioneer Press’ ownership. Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 21 Jan. 2024 The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star has clued us into her favorite Amazon finds all year long thanks to her Amazon livestreams, and right now, many of Richards’ favorite kitchen gadgets, jewelry, skincare products, and more are on sale for Black Friday. Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 25 Nov. 2023 The fundamental obviousness of what’s happening accounts for why, unlike Grann’s book, which disgorged its secrets gradually, Scorsese and Roth pretty much clue us in from the outset. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2023 Later this year, three gubernatorial elections in deep red states could clue us in to what voters are looking for over the next four years. Chuck Todd, NBC News, 5 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration of clew

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1934, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clue was circa 1665

Dictionary Entries Near clue

Cite this Entry

“Clue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clue. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

clue

1 of 2 noun
1
: something that helps a person find something or solve a mystery
2
: idea sense 2, conception
had no clue what he meant

clue

2 of 2 verb
clued; clueing or cluing
1
: to provide with a clue
2
: to give information to
clue me in on the news

More from Merriam-Webster on clue

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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