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
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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)
Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 12 June 2025
And the Gowanus Canal, after nearly five years of cleanup, is no longer emitting a rank odor.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 11 June 2025
Perez would take his customary spot batting cleanup behind whoever was in front of him.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2025
Local cleanup operations risk further disturbance, particularly to nesting sea turtle habitats, said PBS NewsHour.
Caribbean island resorts and officials have declared states of emergency, investing in barriers, storage vessels, and extended cleanup work to limit the impact.
—Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Noun
Chevron, which is responsible for the environmental cleanup, has been working to restore the area for two months and is continuing to sample the soil and groundwater and monitor the air for contaminants, Kim McHugh, Chevron’s vice president of its Rockies business unit, said in a video.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 12 June 2025
And the Gowanus Canal, after nearly five years of cleanup, is no longer emitting a rank odor.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 11 June 2025
Perez would take his customary spot batting cleanup behind whoever was in front of him.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2025
Local cleanup operations risk further disturbance, particularly to nesting sea turtle habitats, said PBS NewsHour.
Caribbean island resorts and officials have declared states of emergency, investing in barriers, storage vessels, and extended cleanup work to limit the impact.
—Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
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Political critique was generally censored, and at one point depictions of the theater world were even banned.—
Lori Waxman,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2025
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And yet, the regime clings to its authoritarian script: shutting down the internet, censoring its news.—
Nazanin Boniadi,
Time,
17 June 2025
Verb
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But advocates say eradicating the Iranian nuclear threat and weakening the regime is in America's national interests because Tehran is a significant destabilizing force in the Middle East, where the United States has key allies and partners, such as Israel and Qatar.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 June 2025
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Although the red autumn fruits with yellow casings make a lovely Thanksgiving wreath, this woody vine is difficult to manage and eradicate.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
14 June 2025
Noun
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In February, Mexico sent 29 cartel figures — including drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, who was behind the killing of a U.S. DEA agent in 1985 — to the U.S. for prosecution.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 June 2025
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He was convicted on similar charges, and also in the killing of his former wife, and sentenced to death.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
19 June 2025
Verb
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Drake, a frequent collaborator, has so far scored 135 placements between Nos. 1 and 10 on the tally, which previously featured more than 10 spaces, but which was shortened several years ago.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
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Boelter is a married father of five but often stayed at Carlson’s home in North Minneapolis to shorten his commute from Green Isle, Minn., to work.—
Jim Mustian,
Mercury News,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Clark tried to erase the memories of his disappointment at Oakmont with an opening round 6-under 64 on Thursday, putting him tied for second in the early afternoon.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
19 June 2025
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But the suddenly lukewarm Rockies, who seemed primed to erase the 2024 Sox from the record books, entered Wednesday’s game against Washington with a three-game win streak and a 7-7 record in their last 14 games.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2025
Noun
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Analysts polled by FactSet expected a profit of $1.26 per share and revenue of $689.9 million.—
Brian Evans,
CNBC,
18 June 2025
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Kevin Doyle, Shane Long and others were signed during his spell and were excellent on the pitch before moving on for a profit.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Fortune helped edit the autobiography of leading Black intellectual Booker T. Washington, and his civil rights organization, National Afro-American League, is considered an important predecessor to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
23 June 2025
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The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
22 June 2025
Verb
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About 7 of every 10 Republicans wouldn't abolish ICE, while about half of Democrats would.—
Jim Sergent,
USA Today,
14 June 2025
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The Japanese legislature is preparing to abolish this entanglement and simply allow princesses to stay royal regardless of the status of their spouse.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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