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)
Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 21 Feb. 2026
Pausing for ten seconds can save you weeks of cleanup.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
The decision made Thursday in Marysville will allow the county to better coordinate with the agency and state and federal partners as cleanup continues.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
If this new stadium spurs surrounding economic development, not to mention environmental cleanup, there will be benefits for the entire region.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Noun
But that doesn’t mean Bay Staters should expect an easier cleanup, Homan said.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 21 Feb. 2026
Pausing for ten seconds can save you weeks of cleanup.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
The decision made Thursday in Marysville will allow the county to better coordinate with the agency and state and federal partners as cleanup continues.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
If this new stadium spurs surrounding economic development, not to mention environmental cleanup, there will be benefits for the entire region.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
-
The festival was first accused of censoring political talk when prominent attendees, including jury president Wim Wenders, declined to discuss politics.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2026
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Various observers suggested that Colbert and Talarico had benefitted from the Streisand effect, in which attempts to censor information often only amplify it.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Applying herbicides is the most effective way to eradicate honeysuckle, but natural methods work if done correctly.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
19 Feb. 2026
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Yet Aii has struggled to achieve more than a handful of percentage points of its goal of eradicating 100 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by the decade’s end.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The treatment of many Minnesota residents by ICE and CBP agents, which resulted in, among other things, the very public killing of Good and Alex Pretti, both US citizens – has been roundly criticized.—
Jeanne Sahadi,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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Many American tourists visiting Mexico are stuck in the country after the killing of a drug cartel leader over the weekend.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Plus, the game has been shortened from 39 days to 26—so castaways are content to simply suffer through it, relying on reward challenges for brief respite.—
Kristen Geil,
Outside,
24 Feb. 2026
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Although the assumption from those numbers is that Adell needs to shorten his swing and not try to hit homers, Anderson disagrees.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Another White 3-pointer — his fourth of the half — erased the Suns’ double-digit lead.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
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Smartphone makers have over the years gradually infused software with more AI tools—like the ability to search for something just by circling it on screen or erasing unwanted objects from photos.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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My group Unleash Prosperity warned repeatedly during the Biden years that the auto industry was sowing the seeds of its own destruction by getting hooked on the fool’s profits of taxpayer handouts for EVs.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
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Diageo is now expecting further weakness in 2026, with organic sales projected to be 2 to 3% lower, organic operating profit to be flat to up low single digits, and cut dividends to 20 cents per share.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In January, Moore acknowledged the fire after-action report was edited to reduce criticism of LAFD’s leadership.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
25 Feb. 2026
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Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Andrew Torgan.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And a 2025 Gallup poll suggests more than half of Americans are ready to abolish DST as well.—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
25 Feb. 2026
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The 55 mph limit was effectively phased out in 1987; federal speed limits were abolished in 1995.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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