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

However, debris disks fade as collisions become less frequent and dust is gradually removed — either because it's blown out by stellar radiation, swept up by planets or remaining planetesimals or has fallen into the central star. —Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 5 Dec. 2025

Why not be swept up by the spontaneity and baring it all when saying yes to forever? —Audrey Noble, Vogue, 5 Dec. 2025

The scandal has also swept up Sarah Ferguson. —Wendy Naugle, USA Today, 5 Dec. 2025

Federal officials maintain that their operations are lawful and focused on individuals who pose public safety risks, but critics contend the scope of enforcement has broadened significantly, sweeping up people with no criminal histories and deepening distrust in immigrant communities. —Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025

Rhymes for sweep up

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