sweep up
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
Rough seas can sweep up the beach and over rocks and jetties, pulling people into a cold turbulent ocean.
—
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2026
Understanding where your thoughts tend to go can stop you from getting swept up in them.
—Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 12 May 2026
His case drew national attention in December when lawmakers pressed then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a testy congressional hearing about veterans swept up in the crackdown.
—Hanna Park, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
This final rule almost makes sense; the idea is that a planet dominates its volume of space gravitationally, and any smaller objects in its orbital vicinity will either get swept up or ejected.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sweep up
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Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2026
Understanding where your thoughts tend to go can stop you from getting swept up in them.
—Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 12 May 2026
His case drew national attention in December when lawmakers pressed then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a testy congressional hearing about veterans swept up in the crackdown.
—Hanna Park, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
This final rule almost makes sense; the idea is that a planet dominates its volume of space gravitationally, and any smaller objects in its orbital vicinity will either get swept up or ejected.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 8 May 2026
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 20 May. 2026.
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