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
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2
as in to censor
to remove objectionable parts from
cleaned up the rock star's interview before publishing it in the newspaper
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3
as in to eradicate
to destroy all traces of
hurriedly cleaned up the mess that they had created in the kitchen
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in killing
an exceptionally large return
The couple made a cleanup when they flipped the house.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clean (up)
David Matthews, New York Daily News, 26 June 2025
The final budget agreement also includes $100 million for encampment cleanup and $300 million for a first-time, first-generation homebuyer assistance program.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025
County officials urged residents to be careful to protect their health and safety — and their wallets — during the cleanup.
—Andrew Krueger, Twin Cities, 23 June 2025
Chinese social media reactions to news of the cleanup have been scathing.
—Karla Cripps, CNN Money, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Noun
Chemical runoff was contained and vacuum trucks were brought in for cleanup.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 26 June 2025
The final budget agreement also includes $100 million for encampment cleanup and $300 million for a first-time, first-generation homebuyer assistance program.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025
County officials urged residents to be careful to protect their health and safety — and their wallets — during the cleanup.
—Andrew Krueger, Twin Cities, 23 June 2025
Chinese social media reactions to news of the cleanup have been scathing.
—Karla Cripps, CNN Money, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
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Iran heavily censors the media and the content its citizens consume.—
Shane Croucher
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
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Protesters marched in unison with the hundreds of Cubans who had been arrested, beaten up and censored for protesting openly on the island.—
Charles Rabin,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2025
Verb
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But advocates say eradicating the Iranian nuclear threat and weakening the regime is in America's national interests because Tehran is a significant destabilizing force in the Middle East, where the United States has key allies and partners, such as Israel and Qatar.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 June 2025
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Although the red autumn fruits with yellow casings make a lovely Thanksgiving wreath, this woody vine is difficult to manage and eradicate.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
14 June 2025
Noun
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In February, Mexico sent 29 cartel figures — including drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, who was behind the killing of a U.S. DEA agent in 1985 — to the U.S. for prosecution.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 June 2025
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Feel how John Williams’ theme, just two notes swelling into nightmare, does half the killing.—
Philip Martin,
Arkansas Online,
19 June 2025
Verb
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Drake, a frequent collaborator, has so far scored 135 placements between Nos. 1 and 10 on the tally, which previously featured more than 10 spaces, but which was shortened several years ago.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
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Boelter is a married father of five but often stayed at Carlson’s home in North Minneapolis to shorten his commute from Green Isle, Minn., to work.—
Jim Mustian,
Mercury News,
18 June 2025
Verb
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But the suddenly lukewarm Rockies, who seemed primed to erase the 2024 Sox from the record books, entered Wednesday’s game against Washington with a three-game win streak and a 7-7 record in their last 14 games.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2025
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Clark tried to erase the memories of his disappointment at Oakmont with an opening round 6-under 64 on Thursday, putting him tied for second in the early afternoon.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
19 June 2025
Noun
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Analysts polled by FactSet expected a profit of $1.26 per share and revenue of $689.9 million.—
Brian Evans,
CNBC,
18 June 2025
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Kevin Doyle, Shane Long and others were signed during his spell and were excellent on the pitch before moving on for a profit.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Fortune helped edit the autobiography of leading Black intellectual Booker T. Washington, and his civil rights organization, National Afro-American League, is considered an important predecessor to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
23 June 2025
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Letters are subject to editing for clarity and length.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 June 2025
Verb
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Lethal injection is the only method of execution after firing squads were abolished in 2011.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
26 June 2025
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Beginning in the 1950s, between 20 million and 25 million households gained ownership of plots of land through the government’s scheme to abolish the colonial-era zamindari system of tax-collecting landlords.—
Michael Albertus,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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