clean out

phrasal 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

Mom and dad died recently, and Billy has cleaned out the flat; Skye just wants to see the old place one last time. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2025

But most plumbers recommend cleaning out the drain once a month to prevent the kind of nasty buildup that can get you into a hairy situation. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2025

As electric vehicle adoption rises, more Americans will need to clean out their garages. —Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 26 Aug. 2025

The institute recommends giving teenagers chores such as cleaning out the fridge, babysitting younger siblings and taking care of pets. —Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2025

Rhymes for clean out

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