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
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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)
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2025
After the storm, follow local guidance, wear protective gear during cleanup, and avoid contact with wet electrical equipment or contaminated water.
—Hannah Parry
amanda Castro
anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Those funds helped pay for the mine’s cleanup effort and new capital costs, in return for an 8.4% stake in the company, which Shenghe still holds.
—John Hyatt, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
The Monopoly board is just part of Saturday’s cleanup effort, organized by the office of Mr. Cleanup himself, Mayor Matt Mahan, along with Beautify SJ, the Trash Punx and the city’s parks department.
—Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Noun
But under both DeSantis and his predecessor Rick Scott, funding for water projects and other cleanup activities has lagged — as the state’s key environmental enforcement agencies, including the DEP and five water-management districts, saw their power seep away.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2025
After the storm, follow local guidance, wear protective gear during cleanup, and avoid contact with wet electrical equipment or contaminated water.
—Hannah Parry
amanda Castro
anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Those funds helped pay for the mine’s cleanup effort and new capital costs, in return for an 8.4% stake in the company, which Shenghe still holds.
—John Hyatt, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
The Monopoly board is just part of Saturday’s cleanup effort, organized by the office of Mr. Cleanup himself, Mayor Matt Mahan, along with Beautify SJ, the Trash Punx and the city’s parks department.
—Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
-
Roblox has drawn criticism for its failure to censor user content on its platform.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Because reviews drag on endlessly, challenges can effectively censor a book, keeping it off shelves for months.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The species was largely eradicated in Connecticut because of habitat loss and over-trapping by the 1900’s.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Measles, once largely eradicated in the United States, has resurged in unvaccinated communities, with outbreaks reported in states surrounding Wisconsin.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
30 July 2025
Noun
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The violence of the narcos — the killings and kidnappings and disappearances — was remote from Miguel, as were the men celebrated in the narco corridos.—
Jesse Hyde,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025
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Flores said police collected cellphone tower data that showed Taylor and Rhodes' phones were in the same vicinity at the time of the killing.—
Chris Ramirez,
jsonline.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Trump cited Russia's continued drone and missile strikes on Ukraine when issuing his ultimatum to the Kremlin, which was initially set at 50 days but later shortened to only 10 days.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
6 Aug. 2025
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After some major studios clutched their pearls over AMC Theatres‘ decision to book more ads before each movie’s showtime, sources are telling us that the No. 1 circuit is working to shorten its preshow.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
On Wednesday, following the reverse split, shares surged and more than erased their prior day losses.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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However, the Rangers erased the Yankees’ three-run lead in the bottom of the second, as former pinstriped prospects Josh Smith and Ezequiel Duran — traded for Joey Gallo in 2021 — had RBI knocks off Max Fried, with the latter tying the game.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Operating profits are projected to decline by 5 percent or more due to escalating climate shocks, per World Trade Scanner.—
Kurt Kipka,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Aug. 2025
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Experts say that tough business leaders who prioritize hard skills to prevent soft skills from undercutting profits are opposing themselves.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The following interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
5 Aug. 2025
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In advance of the FCC’s approval of the merger, Paramount settled Trump’s lawsuit over the way that 60 Minutes edited an interview with Kamala Harris.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Even after slavery was abolished, some families who sought to find their kin never did.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
15 Aug. 2025
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New York state, where Gendron pleaded guilty to 15 state charges, including multiple counts of murder, abolished capital punishment in 2004.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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