clean sweep
noun
1
: a victory in which one side or team wins every game, contest, etc.
The Red Sox won the series in a clean sweep.
The election was a clean sweep for local Democratic candidates.
2
: a complete change in something
The new governor has made a clean sweep of the staff in the governor's mansion.
Examples of clean sweep in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Her win gave Seattle progressives a clean sweep, knocking off the incumbent mayor, City Council president, and city attorney.
—
Pedro Rodriguez, The Washington Examiner, 13 Nov. 2025
The clean sweep of her Instagram profile follows her recent photos documenting her weight loss journey.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 12 Nov. 2025
Indeed, in the first referendum on President Donald Trump’s second term, voters delivered Democrats a clean sweep, taking governor mansions in New Jersey, Virginia, passing Prop 50 in California, and winning a number of other off-year elections.
—Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 6 Nov. 2025
The Pelicans came out of Australia with a clean sweep of the two NBL teams, by defeating Melbourne United in a close 107-97 bout, and dominating the Phoenix 127-92.
—Greg Liodice, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean sweep
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Pedro Rodriguez, The Washington Examiner, 13 Nov. 2025
The clean sweep of her Instagram profile follows her recent photos documenting her weight loss journey.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 12 Nov. 2025
Indeed, in the first referendum on President Donald Trump’s second term, voters delivered Democrats a clean sweep, taking governor mansions in New Jersey, Virginia, passing Prop 50 in California, and winning a number of other off-year elections.
—Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 6 Nov. 2025
The Pelicans came out of Australia with a clean sweep of the two NBL teams, by defeating Melbourne United in a close 107-97 bout, and dominating the Phoenix 127-92.
—Greg Liodice, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean sweep
Cite this Entry
“Clean sweep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clean%20sweep. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
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