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
Keeping a tidy home often feels like a never-ending list of chores, from sweeping up crumbs after dinner to deep cleaning bathtubs and baseboards.
—
Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
In the shadow of a former lover (Teyana Taylor) and under the protection of an ultra-chill revolutionary in arms (del Toro), DiCaprio is swept up in a world of violence and revenge — to say nothing of the terrifying oddball military colonel (Sean Penn) out for blood.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Almost a year after being taken over by a Michigan retailer, Remke Markets is getting a new owner after its parent company has been swept up in a new acquisition.
—Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Sep. 2025
When a Palestinian teenager gets swept up into a protest in the occupied West Bank and experiences a moment of violence that rocks his family, his mother recounts the political and emotional threads that led to that fateful moment.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sweep up
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Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
In the shadow of a former lover (Teyana Taylor) and under the protection of an ultra-chill revolutionary in arms (del Toro), DiCaprio is swept up in a world of violence and revenge — to say nothing of the terrifying oddball military colonel (Sean Penn) out for blood.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Almost a year after being taken over by a Michigan retailer, Remke Markets is getting a new owner after its parent company has been swept up in a new acquisition.
—Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Sep. 2025
When a Palestinian teenager gets swept up into a protest in the occupied West Bank and experiences a moment of violence that rocks his family, his mother recounts the political and emotional threads that led to that fateful moment.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 24 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 30 Sep. 2025.
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