a unit of grammatical organization next below the sentence in rank and in traditional grammar said to consist of a subject and predicate., a particular and separate article, stipulation, or proviso in a treaty, bill, or contract.

escape clause, non-compete clause, sunset clause

Formal and Informal Expressions of clause

In different contexts, you can replace 'clause' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'proviso, stipulation' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'thing, part' is a commonplace synonym.

clause: Explore its Definition & Usage

clause Definition

1a unit of grammatical organization next below the sentence in rank and in traditional grammar said to consist of a subject and predicate.
2a particular and separate article, stipulation, or proviso in a treaty, bill, or contract.

Using clause: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "clause" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
The sentence has two clauses, one dependent and one independent.
Example
The contract contains a clause that specifies the payment terms.
Example
The treaty included a clause that prohibited the use of chemical weapons.

clause Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for clause

Phrases with clause

escape clause
a provision in a contract that allows one or both parties to avoid legal obligations under certain circumstances
Example
The escape clause in the lease agreement allowed the tenant to terminate the contract early without penalty.
non-compete clause
a provision in an employment contract that prohibits an employee from working for a competitor for a certain period of time after leaving the company
Example
The non-compete clause in his contract prevented him from accepting a job offer from a rival firm.
sunset clause
a provision in a law or regulation that sets an expiration date for the law or regulation unless it is renewed
Example
The sunset clause in the tax law meant that the tax cuts would expire after five years unless Congress voted to extend them.

Origins of clause

from Old French 'clause', from Medieval Latin 'clausa', meaning 'close of a rhetorical period', from Latin 'claus-'.

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Summary: clause in Brief

A 'clause' [klɔːz] is a grammatical unit consisting of a subject and predicate, or a particular article, stipulation, or proviso in a treaty, bill, or contract. Examples include 'The sentence has two clauses, one dependent and one independent.' and 'The contract contains a clause that specifies the payment terms.' Phrases like 'escape clause' and 'non-compete clause' denote provisions in contracts, while 'sunset clause' refers to a provision in a law or regulation that sets an expiration date.