sweep up
phrasal verb
swept up; sweeping up; sweeps up
1
: to remove dust, dirt, etc., from (something) by using a broom or brush
When I was sweeping up, I found an earring that I had lost.
Can you please sweep up the porch?
2
: to remove (something, such as dust, dirt, etc.) from a surface by using a broom or brush
She swept up the broken glass.
3
: to pick up (someone or something) in one quick, continuous motion
She swept the baby up and carried her to the crib.
4
: to brush or pull (hair) away from the face
—usually used as be swept up
Her hair was swept up in a bun.
Examples of sweep up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
His hair—blond and swept up like Bowie’s—caught the sun, his gold incisor glinting behind his grin (the upshot of a dental emergency along the Hippie Trail in Goa).
—
T. Coraghessan Boyle, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
For instance, in the scene where Dorothy is swept up by the tornado that transports her to Oz, the audience is hit by a swarm of leaves as the wind blows across the arena.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
That promise now feels increasingly tenuous; few of the permanent employees have been hired yet, the complex is still under construction, and most of the workforce are transient staff on temporary visas or contracts – like the ones swept up by ICE.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
Around half of homeless people work, according to a 2021 study, and could be swept up in the order’s provisions.
—Idaho Statesman, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sweep up
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T. Coraghessan Boyle, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
For instance, in the scene where Dorothy is swept up by the tornado that transports her to Oz, the audience is hit by a swarm of leaves as the wind blows across the arena.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
That promise now feels increasingly tenuous; few of the permanent employees have been hired yet, the complex is still under construction, and most of the workforce are transient staff on temporary visas or contracts – like the ones swept up by ICE.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
Around half of homeless people work, according to a 2021 study, and could be swept up in the order’s provisions.
—Idaho Statesman, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sweep up
Cite this Entry
“Sweep up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweep%20up. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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