1
as in tidying (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 censoring
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 eradicating
to destroy all traces of
hurriedly cleaned up the mess that they had created in the kitchen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleaning (up)
Verb
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An internal streaming service mimics global platforms while tightly censoring content.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
21 Jan. 2026 -
The censure is not about censoring Martinez, Zepeda said, but is instead meant to set a precedent for the type of behavior the council expects of its political leaders.—
Sierra Lopez,
Mercury News,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Washington’s cut to funding for a global vaccine alliance could undo decades of progress in the fight against malaria, just as several African nations approach eradicating the disease.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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The country built some of the world’s most futuristic highways and was early in eradicating malaria.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Samuel Helenius, Andrei Kuzmenko and Corey Perry (empty net) scored for the Kings (22-16-3), who won their third straight game after Monday’s game in Columbus was postponed due to Sunday’s blizzard, shortening their trip from six to five games.—
Daily News,
Daily News,
28 Jan. 2026
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Beat shortening with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
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These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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In erasing these concepts, or transforming them into meaningless slogans, the recent right-wing campaign of educational suppression seeks to eliminate an important means of understanding Black history.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Shoppers are picking up essentials early, aiming to avoid last-minute trips if roads become unsafe.—
Nicole Nielsen,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
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Trent Perry is picking up the slack for the UCLA basketball team.—
Daily News,
Daily News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Outdoor Voices, once the toast of the category, faded into restructuring, wiping out its entire social media presence.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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At least 61,000 people living in the Gaza Strip have died in Israel’s subsequent military campaign aimed at wiping out Hamas and recovering the hostages.—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In the wake of the fatal shootings of American citizens Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers during operations on the streets of Minneapolis, a recent YouGov poll shows that more Americans support abolishing ICE than those opposed.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
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Video footage shows Omar at the town hall, calling for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and for Homeland Security Kristi Noem to resign when a man jumps in front of her and sprays liquid from a syringe on her shirt.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But two shootings of US citizens and scenes of unrest in Minnesota are blotting out any hope of that.—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Unfortunately, the 2025 Perseids happened to coincide with the appearance of a waxing gibbous moon, which bleached the sky with moonlight, blotting out all but the brightest members of the ancient meteor shower.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Cleaning (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleaning%20%28up%29. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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