1
: an act or instance of cleaning
The children helped with the cleanup.
2
: an exceptionally large profit
made a cleanup [=killing] when he sold his stocks
: being in the fourth position in the batting order of a baseball team
a cleanup hitter
cleanup
adverb
cleaned up; cleaning up; cleans up
1
: to make a spectacular profit in a business enterprise or a killing in speculation or gambling
2
: to become free of drug or alcohol addiction
I always cleaned up for tours. … By the end of the tour, I'm perfectly clean and should have stayed sober.—
Keith Richards
Keith RichardsExamples of cleanup in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebLaylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 17 Apr. 2024
According to court filings, records documenting what was taken during cleanups and the legal authorization for the seizure were altered or created up to two years after the cleanup occurred and in some instances just days before they were turned over to the plaintiffs.
—Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
The ship is actually still sitting there in Fort McHenry Channel and the cleanup of the bridge is also no simple task.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
What was once a gargantuan oil refining complex that looked like a city itself is now just empty land undergoing cleanup, with mounds of dug up soil, muddy pools of water and jagged concrete pieces strewn across the property.
—Rachel Ramirez, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced at the end of March that six 55-gallon steel drums had been discovered encased in concrete at Bethpage Community Park as the multi-year cleanup of the contaminated site continues.
—Cb Cotton, Fox News, 13 Apr. 2024
Good thing the cleanup, held rain or shine, is a popular event: Tricia Wehrle with her team at Parks and Rec usually coordinate more than 1,000 volunteers for the big day, from Scouting troops to neighbors of the city’s parks.
—Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2024
How to volunteer Here are the dates and locations of river, lake and park cleanups in metro Detroit this spring.
—Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 11 Apr. 2024
The cleanup of the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge is underway.
—Leslie Shapiro, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
After more than a decade of cleanup work, the plant began discharging the water after treating it and diluting it with seawater on Aug. 24, starting a process that’s expected to take decades.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024
The Rockies scored twice off Dodgers rookie right-hander Emmet Sheehan to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third, with cleanup man Elias Díaz driving in both runs with a 258-foot bloop single to shallow left-center field.
—Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2023
This designation, if granted, would bring additional funding for cleanup efforts.
—Kate Holland, ABC News, 7 Dec. 2023
Workers involved in cleanup efforts around Sulfur Run in East Palestine, Ohio, following the train derailment.
—Roxana Saberi, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2024
Bars near explosion site close during cleanup Thompson’s Bookstore and The Archibald are two bars located right next door to the Sandman Signature Hotel on Houston Street.
—Harriet Ramosand, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Jan. 2024
Some of those include training conducted for municipality partners, a free Tree Friday event, a Rain Garden revitalized at Boys & Girls Club, Storm Drain Murals and cleanup events.
—Eplunus Colvin, Arkansas Online, 1 Nov. 2023
Traditionally, autumn has been seen as cleanup time in the garden, a season for raking (or blowing), clipping and whisking away.
—Tovah Martin, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2023
Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024
The Environmental Protection Agency tried all policies in its handbook to clean up a Kentucky town but still failed, ProPublica reports.
—David Gelles, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Cybele Mayes-Osterman: So the effort is continuing to clean up this ship and the debris from the bridge.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
Spring is the time to clean up those bird feeders and fill them with fresh foods to attract a variety of birds visiting Indiana in the warm weather.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Apr. 2024
After landing in Dallas, and cleaning up the accident, the jet stayed on the ground for the remainder of the day.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Apr. 2024
Environmental advocates are concerned that these discharges are taking a severe toll on the ecosystem, and are urging state leaders to take steps to improve wastewater treatment to clean up the pollution.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
The silver fox stayed true to his rock star pompadour, cleaning up the edges just a bit and keep length at the top.
—Brittany Talarico, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Members of Michigan's congressional delegation, for years, have pushed for the Department of Defense to help clean up areas near military bases where PFAS contamination is present.
—Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 10 Apr. 2024
Noun
Meet at Reef Point Lot, with parking fees waived for cleanup.
—Laylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 17 Apr. 2024
According to court filings, records documenting what was taken during cleanups and the legal authorization for the seizure were altered or created up to two years after the cleanup occurred and in some instances just days before they were turned over to the plaintiffs.
—Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
The ship is actually still sitting there in Fort McHenry Channel and the cleanup of the bridge is also no simple task.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
What was once a gargantuan oil refining complex that looked like a city itself is now just empty land undergoing cleanup, with mounds of dug up soil, muddy pools of water and jagged concrete pieces strewn across the property.
—Rachel Ramirez, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced at the end of March that six 55-gallon steel drums had been discovered encased in concrete at Bethpage Community Park as the multi-year cleanup of the contaminated site continues.
—Cb Cotton, Fox News, 13 Apr. 2024
Good thing the cleanup, held rain or shine, is a popular event: Tricia Wehrle with her team at Parks and Rec usually coordinate more than 1,000 volunteers for the big day, from Scouting troops to neighbors of the city’s parks.
—Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2024
How to volunteer Here are the dates and locations of river, lake and park cleanups in metro Detroit this spring.
—Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 11 Apr. 2024
The cleanup of the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge is underway.
—Leslie Shapiro, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Taylor Wilson: So what's next going forward, both for cleanup work and also these ongoing investigations?
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
After more than a decade of cleanup work, the plant began discharging the water after treating it and diluting it with seawater on Aug. 24, starting a process that’s expected to take decades.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024
The Rockies scored twice off Dodgers rookie right-hander Emmet Sheehan to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third, with cleanup man Elias Díaz driving in both runs with a 258-foot bloop single to shallow left-center field.
—Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2023
This designation, if granted, would bring additional funding for cleanup efforts.
—Kate Holland, ABC News, 7 Dec. 2023
Workers involved in cleanup efforts around Sulfur Run in East Palestine, Ohio, following the train derailment.
—Roxana Saberi, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2024
Bars near explosion site close during cleanup Thompson’s Bookstore and The Archibald are two bars located right next door to the Sandman Signature Hotel on Houston Street.
—Harriet Ramosand, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Jan. 2024
Some of those include training conducted for municipality partners, a free Tree Friday event, a Rain Garden revitalized at Boys & Girls Club, Storm Drain Murals and cleanup events.
—Eplunus Colvin, Arkansas Online, 1 Nov. 2023
Traditionally, autumn has been seen as cleanup time in the garden, a season for raking (or blowing), clipping and whisking away.
—Tovah Martin, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2023
Verb
There were scandals—mostly not of her own making, but resulting from the greed of others—that cost her several small fortunes to clean up.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024
The Environmental Protection Agency tried all policies in its handbook to clean up a Kentucky town but still failed, ProPublica reports.
—David Gelles, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Cybele Mayes-Osterman: So the effort is continuing to clean up this ship and the debris from the bridge.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
Spring is the time to clean up those bird feeders and fill them with fresh foods to attract a variety of birds visiting Indiana in the warm weather.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Apr. 2024
After landing in Dallas, and cleaning up the accident, the jet stayed on the ground for the remainder of the day.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Apr. 2024
Environmental advocates are concerned that these discharges are taking a severe toll on the ecosystem, and are urging state leaders to take steps to improve wastewater treatment to clean up the pollution.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
The silver fox stayed true to his rock star pompadour, cleaning up the edges just a bit and keep length at the top.
—Brittany Talarico, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Members of Michigan's congressional delegation, for years, have pushed for the Department of Defense to help clean up areas near military bases where PFAS contamination is present.
—Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 10 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cleanup.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to cleanup
Dictionary Entries Near cleanup
Cite this Entry
“Cleanup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleanup. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share