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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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.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clean (up)
Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2026
When more than 250 people came to the new church for the Earth Week cleanup, the multipurpose room was where the volunteers came to get their assignments and T-shirts.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026
Riley McAndrew, hitting cleanup for the first time this season, then followed with a game-winning two-run home run.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
The cost estimate for cleanup of the underwater waste, known as the northern impoundment of the San Jacinto waste pits, has now climbed to a quarter of a billion dollars.
—Rebekah F. Ward, Houston Chronicle, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Noun
The outlet noted that self-service soda stations have long been associated with spills, sticky floors and extra cleanup for employees.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2026
When more than 250 people came to the new church for the Earth Week cleanup, the multipurpose room was where the volunteers came to get their assignments and T-shirts.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026
Riley McAndrew, hitting cleanup for the first time this season, then followed with a game-winning two-run home run.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
The cost estimate for cleanup of the underwater waste, known as the northern impoundment of the San Jacinto waste pits, has now climbed to a quarter of a billion dollars.
—Rebekah F. Ward, Houston Chronicle, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
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Coley Sohn and Linda Bagley-Sohn, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, say the city censored their protest against the city painting over its rainbow crosswalks.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
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Nonfiction books were censored at schools at more than double the past rate in the 2024-2025 school year, according to a new report by PEN America.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Long-term Management Strategies The best way to completely eradicate ground ivy from your lawn and garden is through constant monitoring and removal methods.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2026
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An invasive worm species is causing problems in the state, and the Colorado Department of Agriculture is asking residents to help eradicate it.—
Maria Braganini,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Betty never denied the killing, but said she had been driven over the edge by years of physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Dan.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
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Italy blamed Egypt for Regeni’s killing.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
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The goal is not to avoid the valley but to shorten the stay.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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While shortening attention spans may be to blame for the shift in literature, Huehls argues that some writers are intentionally engaging with it.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Just his ability to erase mistakes is extremely impressive where guys drive in the paint and see him and turn around and dribble out.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
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Satellite imagery reveals that in the weeks following the attack on the Abu Naser family building, more Israeli bombing nearly erased the rest of the neighborhood.—
Anas Baba,
NPR,
6 May 2026
Noun
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The complaint seeks compensatory and punitive damages, disgorgement of profits attributable to the use of Kilcher’s likeness, injunctive relief, and corrective public disclosure.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
7 May 2026
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Analyst Lorraine Hutchinson believes Ulta is more attractive after a pullback, especially as the retailer could be poised profit from some recent investments.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
Verb
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They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
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This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Dreaded by some, dodged by others, and abolished by at least one executive entirely, quarterly earnings calls remain must-listen rituals for Wall Street and the business press, but not for most consumers or even rank‑and‑file employees.—
Rachel Ventresca,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
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Its refusal to abolish slavery placed it in a small club of holdouts, with Cuba and Brazil.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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