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

No doubt, any mystery around the company’s Super Bowl pitch will be cleared up in advance of next month’s big show. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 13 Jan. 2026

Coach Eric Spoelstra noted after the game that the Heat regularly experience similar condensation on their practice courts in Florida, but in those situations, the moisture can be cleared up in 15 minutes or less. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026

Minnesota Democrats quickly accused the ICE officer of committing an unprovoked murder, and bystander videos of the confrontation did little to clear up which narrative is closest to the truth. —Sarah Bedford, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026

May 21 – June 20 Honesty can clear up any recent messy misunderstandings. —Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026

Rhymes for clear up

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