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
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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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Dissimilar Words
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
-
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
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The Islanders had erased 2-0 deficits in each of their last three wins, but the Ducks kept them off the board in part by killing three penalties in the second period.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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The Tigers erased an 11-point halftime deficit in the third quarter, knotting the contest at 33-33 before running out of gas — just as Bama was mashing the pedal to the floor.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Komarow then allegedly used the brokerage accounts to conduct high-risk, short-term options trading in an attempt to make immediate profits to cover his insufficient funds, officials said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
4 Mar. 2026
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The label, founded 25 years ago, has not turned a profit since 2017, yet McCartney chose full independence.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 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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Hopper’s main priorities include abolishing property taxes, securing the Texas border, and protecting the right to bear arms, among other issues, according to his website.—
Ciara McCarthy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Political instability has repeatedly shaken Nepal since the monarchy was abolished in 2008.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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