clean out

verb

cleaned out; cleaning out; cleans out

1

: to remove unwanted things from (a room, closet, etc.)

We spent the weekend cleaning out the garage.

2

informal : to steal or take everything from (someone or something)

The thieves broke in and cleaned out the store.

3

informal : to use up all or most of the money of (someone)

Buying the house really cleaned us out. Now we're broke.

Examples of clean out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But men trying to make sense of a night that has slipped clean out of memory — along with all their money — may find sympathy hard to come by. — Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026

People constantly move throughout the space cleaning out cages and checking on any sick animals. — ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026

Regularly cleaning out backpacks also can help reduce unnecessary weight and keep track of notes, permission slips and assignments. — Cheyanne Mumphrey, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Brush guards trap pine needles within their bristles, forcing you to remove the entire brush to clean out clogged dirt. — Nick Perry, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for clean out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout