have a clear conscience

Idioms

Also, have a clean conscience. Feel free of guilt or responsibility. For example, I have a clear conscience—I did all I could to help. This idiom is also put as, as in His conscience is clean about telling the whole story. The adjective clear has been used in the sense of “innocent” since about 1400; clean was so used from about 1300.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In one of the earliest accounts of that night’s events, Kate replied, “we are innocent—how good it is to have a clear conscience.”

From Literature

Since I have a clear conscience regarding the incident, I have always believed that it is right that I stand my ground in the face of the abuse I have received during my football career.

From BBC

"I have a clear conscience. I have given 100% and I don't understand it, I didn't see my termination as deserved."

From BBC

At the end of the play, no one can possibly have a clear conscience.

From Los Angeles Times

And, as for those benefits for the drivers and the supposed economic opportunity of the gig economy, MacGann now says, “When that turned out not to be the case — we had actually sold people a lie — how can you have a clear conscience if you don’t stand up and own your contribution to how people are being treated today?”

From The Verge

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023