1
as in to tidy (up)
to make a place neat and orderly by removing extraneous stuff
you're expected to clean up after you use the workroom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to censor
to remove objectionable parts from
cleaned up the rock star's interview before publishing it in the newspaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to eradicate
to destroy all traces of
hurriedly cleaned up the mess that they had created in the kitchen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in killing
an exceptionally large return
The couple made a cleanup when they flipped the house.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of clean (up)
Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 26 Sep. 2025
This wasn’t the only major cleanup effort at the bike path and Starkey Park this year.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Sep. 2025
One southbound lane of Isabel Avenue near Interstate 580 was closed for approximately four hours for the investigation and roadway cleanup.
—Harry Harris, Mercury News, 24 Sep. 2025
The Treasury’s catch-all basket for global economic cleanup, called the Exchange Stabilization Fund, has been used in novel ways before, but snapping up foreign debt is unusual.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Noun
How a new tax funds cleanup, safety patrols Hotel demand is rising.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 26 Sep. 2025
This wasn’t the only major cleanup effort at the bike path and Starkey Park this year.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Sep. 2025
One southbound lane of Isabel Avenue near Interstate 580 was closed for approximately four hours for the investigation and roadway cleanup.
—Harry Harris, Mercury News, 24 Sep. 2025
The Treasury’s catch-all basket for global economic cleanup, called the Exchange Stabilization Fund, has been used in novel ways before, but snapping up foreign debt is unusual.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
-
There is no right to censor open forum comments — if a speaker says things that expose them to liability, that is not the board’s responsibility.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
Oc Register,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Within the self-censoring limits of the genre, Eisgruber has sensible things to say, maybe too sensible.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Policymakers can acknowledge the complicated history of vaccines, public health and race, while also recognizing how advancements in science and medicine have given us the opportunity to eradicate many of these diseases in the United States today.—
Stacie Kershner,
The Conversation,
22 Sep. 2025
-
The drop-off between the starting player and his backup was still too great in some areas of Arsenal’s squad last season, but that has now been eradicated.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The killing of Kirk comes amid a wave of political violence.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The Daily Dividend Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show returned to air last night after a nearly weeklong a pause following the comedian's comments about Charlie Kirk's killing.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Promising to cut logistics costs, shorten schedules and reduce Carbon emissions by lowering travel, the service is trialing with early adopters.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Allowing a layer of gunk to grow on weather stripping also shortens its lifespan.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The surge of activity at the memorial fits into a wider Republican push to erase Democrats’ registration advantages in battleground states.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Bulsara was desperate to transform himself in that mold, to erase his recent past as a gawky, shy, bucktoothed kid .—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Schermer discussed his work as founder and CEO of Project Healthy Minds, a non-profit that addresses the barriers to finding mental health care and offers tools to make accessing services easier.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
-
For chipmakers Nvidia and AMD, meanwhile, the demand was for a slice of future profits.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Josephine Rozzelle edited this edition.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
24 Sep. 2025
-
While introducing the feature on the Pixel 10 last month, Google noted that each image edited using AI on Google Photos will carry an invisible watermark.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
However, California has made moves to abolish biannual clock changes.—
Hannah Poukish
September 23,
Sacbee.com,
23 Sep. 2025
-
To preserve slavery in its territories, Britain failed to officially recognize Haitian independence until 1838, when slavery was fully abolished in its colonies.—
Marlene L. Daut
September 22,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share