1
as in to tidy (up)
to make a place neat and orderly by removing extraneous stuff
you're expected to clean up after you use the workroom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to censor
to remove objectionable parts from
cleaned up the rock star's interview before publishing it in the newspaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to eradicate
to destroy all traces of
hurriedly cleaned up the mess that they had created in the kitchen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in killing
an exceptionally large return
The couple made a cleanup when they flipped the house.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of clean (up)
Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Six construction workers were killed in the accident, and the McHenry Channel was closed for two months to allow for cleanup of the debris.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 19 Aug. 2025
Indiana 2 was closed for several hours due to cleanup from the crash, which required members of Lake County’s Hazardous Materials Response Team and the Lake County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to respond.
—Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
Now, even as cleanup efforts begin, the city is watching several lift stations, worried that the system may still be compromised.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Noun
Sungai Design is proving that the future of environmental action won’t be won by cleanup alone — it will be built, piece by piece, by businesses that turn problems into products, and impact into infrastructure.
—Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Six construction workers were killed in the accident, and the McHenry Channel was closed for two months to allow for cleanup of the debris.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 19 Aug. 2025
Indiana 2 was closed for several hours due to cleanup from the crash, which required members of Lake County’s Hazardous Materials Response Team and the Lake County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to respond.
—Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
Now, even as cleanup efforts begin, the city is watching several lift stations, worried that the system may still be compromised.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
-
In his book, the author notes that the U.S. government initially censored the blasts’ effects and downplayed the bleak consequences of radiation.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
-
But because Twitch streams are live and not edited or censored like traditional TV programming, there are more risks involved regarding what young viewers may see onscreen.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country.—
Peter Aitken
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Its nuclear infrastructure is wrecked but by no means wholly eradicated.—
Suzanne Maloney,
Foreign Affairs,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The rising number of extrajudicial killings carried out by Haitian police is once more coming under scrutiny, this time by the U.S. State Department.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
18 Aug. 2025
-
Police urge anyone with information about any of the killings to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Trump praised Bisignano’s efforts to improve Social Security services by asserting that the agency has shortened call wait times, reduced the disability claims backlog and promoted seniors’ online account access.—
Jeanne Sahadi,
CNN Money,
14 Aug. 2025
-
As many people well know, using screens at night delays bedtime, shortens sleep duration, and worsens sleep quality; phones can disrupt rest just by being in the same room, Lauren Hale, a professor studying sleep at Stony Brook Medicine, told me.—
Rheana Murray,
The Atlantic,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
This practice of reframing doesn’t erase the problem, sure.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
-
The move to erase the sometimes ugly truth about this country’s history?—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Steel Dynamics has shown a profit in 26 of the past 29 years.—
John Dorfman,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
-
When profits are growing, credit markets are calm and the next Fed move is a cut, stocks tend to have little trouble holding their valuations.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
22 Aug. 2025
-
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But abolishing a property tax would fully freeze younger and lower-income folks out of the housing market because, in part, higher property taxes often lead to lower home prices, which reduces the down payment required for a homebuyer seeking a mortgage.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Aug. 2025
-
One way not to do that—to take yet another example from this Administration—would be to end the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program, which started during President Barack Obama’s second term and came to a close in March, when the U.S.D.A. abolished it.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share