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 WebHeidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2024
Country star Zach Bryan was spotted helping with cleanup efforts in Nebraska after tornadoes tore through suburban Omaha over the weekend.
—Brooke Baitinger, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2024
Emergency and cleanup crews were hard at work in California this winter as record rainfall battered the state, causing landslides, flooded homes, and cars rushing away in the water.
—Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 27 Apr. 2024
This is genuinely fun astrology for a party or celebration of some kind—just be wary of the resulting hangover or cleanup that might follow when the Moon squares Saturn.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Apr. 2024
Katherine Pruitt, the national senior director for clean air policy at the American Lung Association, said climate change is chipping away at decades of cleanup efforts made through the Clean Air Act, a federal law passed in 1963 to regulate air pollution and set air quality standards.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 24 Apr. 2024
The preserve was only half cleared when the first cleanup by the students was organized in January 2021.
—Christina Mayo, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024
But in his account, management refused, arguing that the disassembly and cleanup work would be just too expensive.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2024
Plus, all parts are dishwasher safe for simple cleanup.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 23 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
His two- to three-hour service includes a multiple-course meal, dishware, place settings and cleanup.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2024
Country star Zach Bryan was spotted helping with cleanup efforts in Nebraska after tornadoes tore through suburban Omaha over the weekend.
—Brooke Baitinger, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2024
Emergency and cleanup crews were hard at work in California this winter as record rainfall battered the state, causing landslides, flooded homes, and cars rushing away in the water.
—Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 27 Apr. 2024
This is genuinely fun astrology for a party or celebration of some kind—just be wary of the resulting hangover or cleanup that might follow when the Moon squares Saturn.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Apr. 2024
Katherine Pruitt, the national senior director for clean air policy at the American Lung Association, said climate change is chipping away at decades of cleanup efforts made through the Clean Air Act, a federal law passed in 1963 to regulate air pollution and set air quality standards.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 24 Apr. 2024
The preserve was only half cleared when the first cleanup by the students was organized in January 2021.
—Christina Mayo, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024
But in his account, management refused, arguing that the disassembly and cleanup work would be just too expensive.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2024
Plus, all parts are dishwasher safe for simple cleanup.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 23 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.
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Cite this Entry
“Cleanup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleanup. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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