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)
Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2026
The company said cleanup efforts are being carried out safely and as quickly as possible.
—Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Thank you for the privilege to do this important work alongside my fellow city volunteers who serve on City Council, boards and commissions, and who give their time to park cleanups and other efforts that strengthen our community.
—Kara King, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
Sources said the procedure was simply a cleanup and not serious.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Noun
Buenrostro suggests an island for prep and cleanup, and another for your entertaining space.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2026
The company said cleanup efforts are being carried out safely and as quickly as possible.
—Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Thank you for the privilege to do this important work alongside my fellow city volunteers who serve on City Council, boards and commissions, and who give their time to park cleanups and other efforts that strengthen our community.
—Kara King, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
Sources said the procedure was simply a cleanup and not serious.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
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African films depicting same-sex relationships have historically been censored on the continent, including those that garnered international accolades.—
Preeti Jha,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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Instead, activists say, officials have moved to censor discussion of the issue, blocking searches and silencing those who have tried to warn women or press for action.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
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California wildlife officials have approved a plan to eradicate Catalina’s entire deer population as part of a broader effort to restore the island ecosystem, sparking fierce opposition from an unusual coalition of hunters and animal welfare advocates.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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To date, the only other human disease ever eradicated was the virus that caused smallpox.—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The killing comes amid ongoing demonstrations across Iran, as anger continues to simmer over political repression, economic hardship and human rights abuses.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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The image appears to show Ketter moving through a cloud of tear gas during a demonstration following the killing of Alex Pretti, which happened just minutes away from his store.—
Nick Lunemann,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For applicants who have limited digital literacy, no home internet or difficulties navigating online portals, this type of in-person help can shorten enrollment time significantly.—
William Jones,
Sacbee.com,
3 Feb. 2026
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Gass said Levi’s has already shortened its end-to-end lead time by a few months and is now focused on creating different tracks of products.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But while leading with three laps to go, a caution erased his advantage and Kyle Larson jumped ahead of him during a sequence of pit stops and a restart to win the championship instead.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
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Hank activates the device, erasing his personality from the world and becoming part of something bigger.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Kazuhiro Nogi | Afp | Getty Images Sony on Thursday reported a rise in operating profit that beat expectations, despite foreign exchange volatility and higher memory costs.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
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New York’s largest auto insurers posted record underwriting profits, driven by steep premium hikes and booming investment income, while executives paid themselves more than $134 million in 2024 — a 27% increase over the prior year.—
Phara Souffrant Forrest,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Andrew Torgan.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
3 Feb. 2026
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It had been edited, presumably using generative AI, to show the arrestee as weeping uncontrollably.—
Donald Moynihan,
The Atlantic,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Some of the loudest calls to abolish ICE have come from Gen Z and millennial candidates, many of whom have sought to frame their bids around a larger rejection of Democratic Party norms.—
Elena Moore,
NPR,
4 Feb. 2026
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Under his proposal, the position of prime minister would be abolished and the duties of the role absorbed into the office of the president.—
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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