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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clean (up)
Jayson Stark, New York Times, 5 June 2026
SeaCon 2026 will feature a beach cleanup, a fictional marine biology panel and a cosplay contest, along with much more.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Freddy Fermin came in to catch, moving into the cleanup spot Sheets had occupied.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2026
Oil and other fluids spilled across the freeway near Beckley Avenue, and crews expected the cleanup to take several hours before the road could reopen.
—Giles Hudson, CBS News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Noun
Heck, the last time the Yankees scored more runs in an inning than that, Babe Ruth was batting cleanup.
—Jayson Stark, New York Times, 5 June 2026
SeaCon 2026 will feature a beach cleanup, a fictional marine biology panel and a cosplay contest, along with much more.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Freddy Fermin came in to catch, moving into the cleanup spot Sheets had occupied.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2026
Oil and other fluids spilled across the freeway near Beckley Avenue, and crews expected the cleanup to take several hours before the road could reopen.
—Giles Hudson, CBS News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
-
The artists were protesting the approval of two decrees that regulate and censor artists not affiliated with state institutions, and penalize freedom of expression and independent journalism.—
Sarah Moreno
June 5,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
-
Your first warning is when local news, embassy alerts, and travel communications become inconsistent or censored, situational awareness is compromised.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
It was eradicated in the United States in the 1960s, in Mexico in the 1970s, and much of Central America in the early 2000s, according to the CDC.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
-
Screwworms were eradicated from the US Southwest in 1966, though Texas continued to struggle with outbreaks into the 1980s.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Fisher was convicted of first-degree murder and was serving life without parole in a 1996 killing, according to court and prison records.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
8 June 2026
-
An 18-year-old Wisconsin man was sentenced Friday to life in prison for his role in the brutal killing of a 5-year-old Milwaukee boy whose disappearance later led to changes in state law.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
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The hope was likely for the show to have a longer run, in the vein of Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, which opened on Broadway in 2018 and the West End in 2016, but has had multiple revisions to shorten the run time.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2026
-
Existing supply chains, maintenance networks, and operational data could shorten development timelines and reduce certification risks.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
These Knicks, who erased a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter against Cleveland in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, just don’t quit.—
Tim Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
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The magic on the pitch during the World Cup has a way of erasing everything that happens off it – for better or worse.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
Noun
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With everything included in a single profit pool, Lore claims, the prices are less expensive because the margins don’t need to support both restaurants and delivery companies.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
10 June 2026
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Investigators allege renovation bosses used flammable scaffolding netting and foam boards, obstructed escape routes and falsified oversight records, putting profit over safety in the Wang Fuk Court housing complex.—
Kanis Leung,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
10 June 2026
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This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.—
Joelle Goldstein,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Calls for the Department of Homeland Security to be abolished and pushback on gang databases ignore the real threats to our communities.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
-
For example, Gonzales wants to abolish the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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