clear up

phrasal verb

cleared up; clearing up; clears up

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.

of the skin : to become free of marks or spots

My skin cleared up when I started using the cream.

: to go away

My symptoms cleared up once I started using the cream.

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 Now, some of California’s most powerful Democratic lawmakers are pushing legislation that would clear up, but also rein in, the state’s most controversial housing statute. —

Calmatters, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024 The younger Lopez — also a comedian who, for years, had been estranged from her father — was clearing up some rumors about her parents divorce ... while twerking upside down. —

Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024 The coffee chain announced the name change in a comical post on Monday morning and cleared up some confusion that the name might prompt. —

Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024 The shooting caused major traffic tie-ups Thursday morning, which cleared up by the afternoon rush hour. —

Omar Rodríguez Ortiz, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024 Known as the Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act, the law was intended to clear up a hodgepodge of state rules governing chemicals and update the Toxic Substances Control Act, a 1976 law that had remained unchanged for 40 years. —

Matthew Daly, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2024 To help clear up any confusion, formal attire is usually reserved for evening events–though like anything else there are exceptions. —

Shelby Ying Hyde, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2024 The symptoms can include: Face or tongue swelling Fainting Feeling lightheaded Problems swallowing Racing heart Shortness of breath Throat tightness A Quick Review In most cases, over-the-counter antihistamines can quickly clear up hives. —

Karen Pallarito, Health, 24 Mar. 2024 This information also clears up some confusion surrounding wasabi being good for weight loss. —

Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clear up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.