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 WebDavid J. Neal, Miami Herald, 11 May 2024
All facilities of the sprawling Blackwater River State Forest were closed as forestry officials anticipated cleanup efforts to take several days.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 10 May 2024
Bratt told supervisors that 600 hours of staff time were used for cleanup every year at an annual cost of $14,000, which does not include the cost of hiring outside vendors to clear medical waste.
—Vanessa Swales, Journal Sentinel, 9 May 2024
The organization is well aware of the challenges unsheltered homelessness brings to the neighborhood, regularly leading its own community cleanup efforts, Vaughns said.
—Joe Rubino, The Denver Post, 7 May 2024
Members of the group have been volunteering at Clark Park since the 1990s, making Clark Park the site of an annual cleanup event.
—Eric Guzmán, Detroit Free Press, 4 May 2024
Willie Calhoun, who ended up in the cleanup spot because Washington didn’t think his young players were ready for that responsibility, had three hits.
—Jeff Fletcher, Orange County Register, 3 May 2024
The group focuses on litter control and periodic base camp cleanups.
—Alton C. Byers, The Conversation, 1 May 2024
Meanwhile, a huge cleanup operation is underway in Oklahoma, where entire towns have been devastated.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 29 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
Buddha Lo, Peoplemag, 2 May 2024
His relatives had grown tired of Anderson not cleaning up after himself and tried talking to him about the problem, according to court records.
—Ashley Luthern, Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2024
Workers assigned to clean up a pile of dirt at an 800-year-old temple in Cambodia quickly found their task was anything but straightforward.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 1 May 2024
Use it on the car upholstery or in between the seats, to clean up the kitchen counters or your desk space, or to rid the fan blades of any dirt, dust, and debris.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2024
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
Noun
The cleanup of a crash at the Hollywood Boulevard exit of Florida’s Turnpike has left northbound traffic at a stop-and-go all the way to Miami Gardens on Saturday.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 11 May 2024
All facilities of the sprawling Blackwater River State Forest were closed as forestry officials anticipated cleanup efforts to take several days.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 10 May 2024
Bratt told supervisors that 600 hours of staff time were used for cleanup every year at an annual cost of $14,000, which does not include the cost of hiring outside vendors to clear medical waste.
—Vanessa Swales, Journal Sentinel, 9 May 2024
The organization is well aware of the challenges unsheltered homelessness brings to the neighborhood, regularly leading its own community cleanup efforts, Vaughns said.
—Joe Rubino, The Denver Post, 7 May 2024
Members of the group have been volunteering at Clark Park since the 1990s, making Clark Park the site of an annual cleanup event.
—Eric Guzmán, Detroit Free Press, 4 May 2024
Willie Calhoun, who ended up in the cleanup spot because Washington didn’t think his young players were ready for that responsibility, had three hits.
—Jeff Fletcher, Orange County Register, 3 May 2024
The group focuses on litter control and periodic base camp cleanups.
—Alton C. Byers, The Conversation, 1 May 2024
Meanwhile, a huge cleanup operation is underway in Oklahoma, where entire towns have been devastated.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 29 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
Michelle cleaned up 13-2, as Savannah didn’t put enough sausage in her pierogi.
—Buddha Lo, Peoplemag, 2 May 2024
His relatives had grown tired of Anderson not cleaning up after himself and tried talking to him about the problem, according to court records.
—Ashley Luthern, Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2024
Workers assigned to clean up a pile of dirt at an 800-year-old temple in Cambodia quickly found their task was anything but straightforward.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 1 May 2024
Use it on the car upholstery or in between the seats, to clean up the kitchen counters or your desk space, or to rid the fan blades of any dirt, dust, and debris.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2024
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
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 17 May. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share