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)
Katie Strasberg Rousso, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
Bell Street marked this year’s second encampment cleanup, according to the public works department.
—Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Peters was one of many who showed up for the cleanup.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Communities in Oklahoma have come together to support cleanup efforts and help neighbors whose homes were decimated.
—Isabel Yip, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Noun
The best approach is simply to avoid the area until cleanup is actually possible.
—Katie Strasberg Rousso, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
Bell Street marked this year’s second encampment cleanup, according to the public works department.
—Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Peters was one of many who showed up for the cleanup.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Communities in Oklahoma have come together to support cleanup efforts and help neighbors whose homes were decimated.
—Isabel Yip, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
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Davidson’s Tourette’s causes involuntary tics, and he was heard cursing throughout the show, however the BBC failed to censor the N-word during its broadcast, causing further harm.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
3 Mar. 2026
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Add to those concerns the possibility that bad news about the economy is being censored.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But screening for latent TB — with treatment that can last up to nine months to fully eradicate the bacteria — is an expensive endeavor with a low payoff, considering that only 5% of people with latent TB will develop into an active case.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
9 Mar. 2026
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If the name isn't enough to deter you, Langelo warns that bishop's weed (Aegopodium podagraria) is an extremely aggressive grower that is challenging to eradicate.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Lebanon has been pulled deep into the war in the Middle East since Hezbollah opened fire to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader, igniting an Israeli offensive which has killed nearly 500 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities − with the death toll rising by around 100 a day.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
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In Mexico, reactions from organized crime following the killing of a major cartel leader, and abroad, a military incursion in Iran, have forced FIFA to divide its attention across multiple fronts.—
Abraham Nudelstejer,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In some situations, the automatic stay — which is the legal protection that stops collection activity — may be limited or shortened if multiple filings occur within a year.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
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Previous research further concluded that the smaller asteroid Dimorphos' 12-hour orbit around the nearly half-mile-wide Didymos shortened by 33 minutes after the DART mission.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Red Raiders erase a 21-point deficit.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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When young mice that were housed with older mice were given antibiotics, however, the effect was erased.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There is no expectation to make a profit from the rental market and back-to-back bookings are avoided to ensure the house and staff operate at their best.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Mar. 2026
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Elsewhere, German autos giant BMW said Thursday that net profit for 2025 exceeded 7 billion euros, slightly above the consensus estimate compiled by LSEG.—
Chloe Taylor,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
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It was reviewed and edited by a team of content specialists.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Front and rear wings are simplified, and the sport’s controversial Drag Reduction System (DRS)—long considered to create artificial overtaking—has been abolished.—
Brad Spurgeon,
Robb Report,
9 Mar. 2026
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In Steven Spielberg's historical drama, which focuses on Lincoln's final months working to abolish slavery via the 13th Amendment, Day-Lewis uncannily looks the part and also fills it with grace and gravitas.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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