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

Instead, the sheriff accelerated his plans, dispatching armed deputies from Riverside County’s Special Investigations Bureau, Emergency Response Team and SWAT unit to sweep up the votes. — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

Madame Peng Liyuan sported a navy Mandarin-style dress with pale pink at the neckline and her hair swept up in a chignon. — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026

Immigrant advocates say the deaths are a sign that authorities are failing to properly oversee the detention of tens of thousands of immigrants swept up in the administration’s aggressive deportation strategy. — Dorany Pineda, ABC News, 22 Sep. 2026

Then there was the time Puente had Welch sweep up the kitchen and then inspected her work. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for sweep up

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