cleans (up)

verb

present tense third-person singular of clean (up)
1
as in cleans house
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 censors
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 erases
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 cleans (up)
  1. censors
  2. erases
  3. shortens
  4. eradicates
  5. abolishes
  6. wipes out
  7. destroys
Verb
  • Shame on any educational institution that censors speech condemning it.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
  • In 2019, the state passed a law that censors me from saying certain things to my clients.
    — Megan Schrader, Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2025
Definition of censors
Verb
  • To be sure, charitable bequests are also fully deductible against the estate tax, which means the destination (charity) is what erases Buffett’s tax liability.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 30 July 2026
  • His best friend, Jacob Batalan’s Ned, and his girlfriend, Zendaya’s MJ, have been right by his side through most of the movie; at the end, a mystical spell erases their memory of him, ostensibly forever.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 28 July 2026
Definition of erases
Verb
  • Browning the meat first not only builds flavor on its exterior but also shortens the overall cooking time.
    — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Even a rough one shortens the negotiation and produces a fairer number for both sides.
    — Chris Ryan, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of shortens
Verb
  • But that also eradicates a crucial option - to mount a show trial and scapegoat him for all the ills of his rule, thus absolving others.
    — Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Treating the underlying condition eradicates the need for drug treatments that act globally.
    — Dr. Patricia Richard, Hartford Courant, 14 Apr. 2026
Definition of eradicates
Verb
  • Attorney Monica Restanio, whose arguments in court for the Venezuelan family were responsible for winning the ruling that abolishes the minor issue, said she was thrilled.
    — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 29 July 2026
  • At the end of the second installment, Mia is crowned the queen of Genovia single after Parliament abolishes the law requiring that a queen be married first.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 19 July 2026
Definition of abolishes
Verb
  • This major markdown wipes out the steep premiums on most high-tier gaming displays, allowing e-sports players and media creators to rise through the ranks with a highly fluid, ultra-clear panoramic canvas.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 26 June 2026
  • Continue reading … LINES REDRAWN — Supreme Court greenlights Alabama GOP map that wipes out a majority-Black district.
    — , FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Definition of wipes out
Verb
  • Alas the aforementioned entity has invaded MJ’s mind, if not body, and destroys any idea that this passionate moment was actually real.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 28 July 2026
  • Rescue comes from a Ukrainian fighter jet, known as Ghost, that destroys the tanks from above.
    — Constant Méheut, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of destroys
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

cleans (out)
cleans (up)
cleans up one's act
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Cite this Entry

“Cleans (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleans%20%28up%29. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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