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
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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)
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
And if cleanup of chemical pollution was needed, 77% of respondents wanted industry to pay for it.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
These devices limited parking during the snow event and made cleanup more difficult.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 26 Feb. 2026
The woman, Tyrah Adams, was reportedly concealed by trash in an alley during a routine cleanup.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Noun
Bigger bins make for more efficient cleanup but also make the overall size of the vacuum larger.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
And if cleanup of chemical pollution was needed, 77% of respondents wanted industry to pay for it.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
These devices limited parking during the snow event and made cleanup more difficult.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 26 Feb. 2026
The woman, Tyrah Adams, was reportedly concealed by trash in an alley during a routine cleanup.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
-
The festival was first accused of censoring political talk when prominent attendees, including jury president Wim Wenders, declined to discuss politics.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Various observers suggested that Colbert and Talarico had benefitted from the Streisand effect, in which attempts to censor information often only amplify it.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Applying herbicides is the most effective way to eradicate honeysuckle, but natural methods work if done correctly.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Yet Aii has struggled to achieve more than a handful of percentage points of its goal of eradicating 100 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by the decade’s end.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Their ties had been strained since the 2023 killing of an Indian activist in Canada which Ottawa said was ordered by Delhi.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Within hours of El Mencho’s death there were already ballads, known as narcocorridos, written about his killing.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Plus, the game has been shortened from 39 days to 26—so castaways are content to simply suffer through it, relying on reward challenges for brief respite.—
Kristen Geil,
Outside,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Although the assumption from those numbers is that Adell needs to shorten his swing and not try to hit homers, Anderson disagrees.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Another White 3-pointer — his fourth of the half — erased the Suns’ double-digit lead.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Smartphone makers have over the years gradually infused software with more AI tools—like the ability to search for something just by circling it on screen or erasing unwanted objects from photos.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
My group Unleash Prosperity warned repeatedly during the Biden years that the auto industry was sowing the seeds of its own destruction by getting hooked on the fool’s profits of taxpayer handouts for EVs.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Diageo is now expecting further weakness in 2026, with organic sales projected to be 2 to 3% lower, organic operating profit to be flat to up low single digits, and cut dividends to 20 cents per share.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In January, Moore acknowledged the fire after-action report was edited to reduce criticism of LAFD’s leadership.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Andrew Torgan.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And a 2025 Gallup poll suggests more than half of Americans are ready to abolish DST as well.—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
25 Feb. 2026
-
The 55 mph limit was effectively phased out in 1987; federal speed limits were abolished in 1995.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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