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)
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
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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
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How did the United States eradicate them?—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
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For an easy summer cleaning tip, wash towels in hot water and toss 1/2 cup of baking soda into the rinse cycle to eradicate stale scents.—
Emerson Latham,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 May 2026
Noun
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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
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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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During this time, last names were often shortened — Karagounis might become Karras, for example.—
Philip Freeman,
Charlotte Observer,
2 June 2026
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The program exists to shorten learning curves through clarity and care, offering guidance shaped by lived experience.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Jalen Brunson scored 30 points, Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, and the Knicks erased a 14-point second-half deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in Game 1 on Wednesday night.—
Tim Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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Her belief in a universal truth was not unique, but her pursuit of it was relentless and oddly self-erasing.—
Eliza Goodpasture,
ARTnews.com,
3 June 2026
Noun
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That's the endless complaint from a number of uninformed fans, outside observers, certain media members and opposing owners happy to push for a salary cap to guarantee themselves more profits.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
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Duke’s profit + data centers The disagreement over return on equity is one of the central concerns customer advocates and ratepayers have in the case.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
3 June 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.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
3 June 2026
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Da Messina’s Annunciation famously excises the angel Gabriel, while Ghirri’s version further edits the event by also obscuring the Virgin herself.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Verb
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And actually one of his first public acts after signing the Constitution was to petition Congress to abolish slavery.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
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Avila Chevalier’s campaign priorities also include abolishing ICE, adding affordable housing and securing federal funds to repair the city’s public housing.—
Joseph Strauss,
Sun Sentinel,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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