What Does the CL Emoji 🆑 Mean in Texts or Online?

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Trend expert Shayan Faraz explains the meaning of the 🆑 emoji

Co-authored by Dan Hickey Reviewed by Candace Gasper

Last Updated: December 15, 2025 Fact Checked

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• 🆑 Emoji Meaning
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• How It’s Used
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• How to Reply
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• Less Common Meanings

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Did the CL emoji 🆑 just pop up on your phone or computer? This symbol isn’t used all that much, so it’s totally valid if you don’t know what it means. We talked to trend expert Shayan Faraz to help us outline everything you need to know about this emoji, from its basic definition to some of its less common alternate meanings. We’ve even included examples of how to sprinkle it into your texts, as well as your Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter posts. The next time you stumble across the 🆑 emoji, you’ll be a bona fide expert!

CL Emoji 🆑 Meaning Explained

Trend expert Shayan Faraz says that the CL emoji 🆑 means to clear or delete something. It’s designed after the red “clear” button on old-school phones and calculators. Send the 🆑 emoji to talk about clearing schedules, clearing the air after an argument, or cleansing yourself of anything from social media to sugar.

Steps

Section 1 of 4:

What does the CL emoji 🆑 mean?

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1. 
   The CL emoji 🆑 stands for “clear.” Faraz says, “The 🆑 emoji means ‘clear’ or to delete something.” This emoji actually pays homage to old-school flip phones and calculators, which had a red “clear” button used for deleting or clearing content quickly. In its emoji form, the 🆑 symbol represents the same thing—the act of clearing, deleting, or cleansing something.

   • “I feel terrible about our argument earlier, and I just wanted to 🆑 some things up with you. 🙏”
   • “My schedule is clear for tomorrow! 🆑📅 We should be good for lunch!”
   • Where did the 🆑 emoji come from? The emoji was approved as part of Unicode 6.0 in 2010 under the name “Squared CL.” This was an era when flip phones were going out of style and smartphones were gaining popularity (the first iPhone dropped in 2007), so it made sense to adapt some “old-school” features for the digital age. The 🆑 emoji was added to Emoji 1.0 in 2015.

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Shayan Faraz (or Chum as he’s known online) is a content creator with over 35,000 followers on his TikTok page @chummertok. His videos analyze internet culture and viral trends.
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Section 2 of 4:

How to Use the CL Emoji 🆑

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1. 
   1
   Send the 🆑 emoji to make amends for a mistake. Since 🆑 is basically shorthand for the word “clear,” Faraz says it’s a great emoji to use when you’re trying to set the record straight or clear something up.

   • “I’d like to 🆑 the record on this.”
   • “Can we 🆑 things up? I think I misunderstood what you were saying. 😅”
   • “Whoops! Didn’t mean to type that LOL 🆑 ”
   • Tip: Keep in mind that the 🆑 emoji isn’t as popular or well-known as others, so some folks may not understand it right away if you send it to them.
2. 
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   Drop a 🆑 emoji to show that something is vacant. Faraz says that people often use the 🆑 emoji to show that they’re clearing their schedules. You can also use it to represent any kind of vacancy in your life—like maybe an empty desk opened up next to you in math class, or a great parking spot just appeared at your apartment complex.

   • “I snagged two tickets to the game next weekend, so 🆑 your schedule!!”
   • “There’s an open seat next to me if you want it 🆑”
   • “There are a couple of front-row seats available for the concert next weekend! 🆑 🙌🎶”
3. 
   3
   Highlight a recently-deleted post or message with the 🆑 emoji. Maybe a tweet that you liked this morning is no longer available, or your favorite YouTube channel deleted one of your favorite videos. The 🆑 emoji is a great way to comment on this missing content.

   • “Darn, I think she deleted her tweet from earlier 🆑 😥”
   • “I think he 🆑 that post from his Instagram 😔”
4. 
   4
   Use 🆑 to highlight something you’re cleansing in your life. Faraz says that another way to use the 🆑 emoji is to show you’re “making space through getting rid of something.” From social media detoxes to lifestyle changes, there are plenty of “cleanses” that people do on a day-to-day basis. If you’re undergoing a radical transformation of your own, highlight the news with the 🆑 emoji!

   • “Time to cleanse all this unneeded toxicity from my life! 🆑😤”
   • “Gonna cleanse my followers list this weekend! 🆑📱 I’m following way too many inactive accounts.”
   • “Time to 🆑 all this junk off my computer haha 🖥🗑”
   • “Saturday is my cleaning time. 🆑🗑 Time to organize my room!”
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Section 3 of 4:

How to Reply to the CL 🆑 Emoji

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1. 
   1
   Talk things out if someone’s looking to clear the air. Someone might drop the 🆑 emoji in a message to chat about something that’s on their mind. Give the person a chance to share what they’re thinking about, and then offer your own perspective on the situation.

   • Them: “I wasn’t happy with the way our conversation went at work. Can we 🆑 some things up?”
     You: “Hey! Thanks so much for reaching out. I’m free to call in a few minutes if that would work for you.”
2. 
   2
   Let someone know if you’d like to take them up on an offer. Maybe your friend invited you to a concert with a few vacant seats left, or your roommate texted you about an open parking spot at your apartment. Shoot over a quick reply so they know if you’re interested or not.

   • Them: “There are still some open seats at the music festival this weekend if you’re interested! 🙌🎹”
     You: “Thanks so much for the invite, but I have work this weekend. Have a great time, though! 🧡”
   • Them: “FYI, there’s a 🆑 parking spot right by the entrance. It’ll probably still be there if you’re heading home soon!”
     You: “Thanks so much! I’ll keep an eye out 👀”
3. 
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   Acknowledge that a post or message was deleted online. If your friend just messaged you about some deleted content, check the account in question to see if you can find the post. Confirm with your friend that you can’t find the post either, or link them to the content if you’re able to find it.

   • Them: “Did Kayla delete that tweet she made yesterday? 🆑”
     You: “Yeah, I think so. I can’t find it anywhere 🤔”
   • Them: “I was going to send you the most hilarious duck TikTok, but I think the OP deleted it 🆑😭”
     You: “I know exactly what you’re talking about! Lemme grab the link 😄”
4. 
   4
   Offer some moral support to a friend who’s going through a cleanse. Maybe your friend texted you about going on a social media detox, or a friend posted on Twitter about a new, healthy diet they’re trying out. Let them know that you’ve got their back and that you’re proud of them for taking the initiative to make a positive change for themselves.

   • Them: “Trying a no-sugar cleanse for a month! 🆑 Wish me luck 😰”
     You: “You’ve got this! The month will be over before you know it 😊”
   • Them: “Going on a Twitter 🆑 for the next week. See you on the flip side! ✌”
     You: “Proud of you! Enjoy your me-time 💛”
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Section 4 of 4:

Less Common Meanings

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1. 
   1
   “Closed” Chatting with your friends about a possible outing for the weekend? The 🆑 emoji is an easy, succinct way to let someone know what’s available and what’s not.

   • “Was going to try out the new pizza place after work today, but it was 🆑 🔒”
2. 
   2
   “Can’t lie” “Can’t lie” falls under the same umbrella as slang terms like NGL (not gonna lie) and TBH (to be honest). The 🆑 emoji is perfect to use when you’re trying to keep things unfiltered and brutally honest.

   • “🆑, McDonald’s French Fries are way better than Wendy’s 😝”
   • “🆑, winter is actually the best season. Spring is killer on my allergies 🤧”
3. 
   3
   “Cool” If someone’s feeling especially lazy, they might send the 🆑 emoji to say “cool” instead of actually spelling it out.

   • Person 1: “Just found out I have a half-day of work tomorrow!”
     Person 2: “That’s 🆑 I guess”
4. 
   4
   “Craigslist” Nowadays, you can do just about anything on Craigslist, from finding a job to getting free furniture. In some cases, people might use the 🆑 emoji to chat about the latest and greatest that Craigslist has to offer.

   • “Saw an ad for a free couch on 🆑 and I’m kinda tempted to go for it 👀”
   • “Do you think this 🆑 ad for a free car is too good to be true? 😂”
5. 
   5
   “Chain letter” Remember those old chain letters you’d used to get in your email inbox? Believe it or not, those zany, “pass-this-on-to-20-people” type of emails are still circling around the web. Some people might use the 🆑 emoji to chat about a particularly interesting chain letter that popped up in their email.

   • “I got a 🆑 from my grandma in my inbox this morning, LOL.”
6. 
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   YouTube celebrity Caleb Logan In 2015, YouTuber Caleb Logan LeBlanc tragically passed away. Some fans may use 🆑 as an abbreviation for his name to share their continued sadness and support.

   • “RIP 🆑. You are loved and never forgotten! 😭”
7. 
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   Rapper Coi Leray See the 🆑 emoji popping up on Twitter a lot? There’s a good chance you’re seeing supportive posts and content dedicated to Coi Leray, with 🆑 being shorthand for her name.

   • “🆑 releases her new album this weekend 😍”
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