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

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts cleared up one key question heading into spring training. —Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026

These historical events will not only clear up some common misperceptions about Black history but will also hopefully inspire kids to learn about the great contributions of Black people all year long. —Terri Huggins Hart, Parents, 28 Jan. 2026

That doesn’t really clear up the confusion. —Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 28 Jan. 2026

Invasive mussels have even promoted the growth of Cladophora by clearing up the water and allowing more light to shine to the bottom. —Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Rhymes for clear up

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