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

Unlike lakes, pools can be drained to clean out algae. —Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 24 June 2026

Veterinarians typically clean out visible eggs and larvae and then use an insecticide that kills larvae and protects against reinfestation. —Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 22 June 2026

Aim for a more thorough cleaning each month by removing items and cleaning out drawers and shelves and wiping down seals. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 June 2026

Also starring Aaron Paul, Nina Dobrev and Luke Evans, the Australian action thriller follows Crowe’s aging club owner whose dreams of retirement go awry when an armed robbery cleans out his business. —Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 13 June 2026

Rhymes for clean out

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