clear up

phrasal verb

cleared up; clearing up; clears up

1

of weather or the sky : to change so that there are no clouds, fog, etc.

The sky cleared up after the rain.

It's cloudy now, but it's clearing up gradually.

2

of the skin : to become free of marks or spots

My skin cleared up when I started using the cream.

3

: to go away

My symptoms cleared up once I started using the cream.

4

British : to make an area clean or tidy

Let's clear up before we leave.

Examples of clear up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This tree is getting repeatedly struck by lightning over its lifetime, clearing up those lianas and removing the neighbors that are sort of getting too close for comfort. —Bill Chappell, NPR, 11 Apr. 2025

The incident has been cleared up since initial reports, however, and the case is now closed. —Seth Quinn, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025

Some researchers have also pointed out the necessity to further clear up the role of potassium chloride as an effective preservative. —Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 31 Mar. 2025

Investors were hoping for a move from Ubisoft to clear up uncertainty surrounding its future after a series of challenges faced by the firm in recent years. —Ryan Browne, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2025

Rhymes for clear up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup