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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

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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

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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
  • With only Lucien, a freshly out twink with more heart than abs, still by his side, Jim must race to find a cure before the disease erases the community that once worshipped him.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Nothing erases the toll of 12,000 steps quite like a 60-minute Herbal Bliss healing journey.
    — DeMarco Williams, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of erases
Verb
  • That arrangement shortens the distance that signals need to travel between processing components.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Uneven tire wear that shortens tire life and affects handling.
    — Michael Kurko, USA Today, 25 Aug. 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
  • The Schengen Area is an agreement between 29 European countries that abolishes passport controls and allows people to travel across European borders without providing documents.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • 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
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
  • Among other things, Hinduism reveres femininity through the worship of powerful goddesses, including Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom; Kali, the goddess who destroys evil and ego; and Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Laser destroys 11 drones in 10 days US forces have stopped around 300 drones allegedly linked to cartels since the beginning of 2026.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 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 15 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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