1
: an act or instance of cleaning
The children helped with the cleanup.
2
: an exceptionally large profit
made a cleanup [=killing] when he sold his stocks
: being in the fourth position in the batting order of a baseball team
a cleanup hitter
cleanup
adverb
cleaned up; cleaning up; cleans up
1
: to make a spectacular profit in a business enterprise or a killing in speculation or gambling
2
: to become free of drug or alcohol addiction
I always cleaned up for tours. … By the end of the tour, I'm perfectly clean and should have stayed sober.—
Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Examples of cleanup in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebLeslie Shapiro, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
In addition to its aforementioned proper roles in the cleanup effort and limited funding aid, the federal government should waive every environmental regulation that would hinder rebuilding the bridge.
—The Editors, National Review, 3 Apr. 2024
Today, the latest from Baltimore where bridge cleanup efforts continue.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
Catcher Will Smith, their cleanup hitter, also reached base three times and drove in a pair of runs.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
Related article Reopening the Port of Baltimore could take weeks as colossal wreckage cleanup gets underway, officials say
That’s well below the national rate of 3.9% in February and ranks 43rd out of 389 regions across the country with more than one million residents.
—Bryan Mena, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
The move would aim to speed cleanup in the aftermath of future disasters.
—Josh Snyder, arkansasonline.com, 31 Mar. 2024
The Transportation Department announced $60 million in emergency funding yesterday for the cleanup and rebuilding effort.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 29 Mar. 2024
Officials say cleanup efforts are ongoing, including the removal of contaminated soil.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 29 Mar. 2024
Mari Yamaguchi, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024
The Rockies scored twice off Dodgers rookie right-hander Emmet Sheehan to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third, with cleanup man Elias Díaz driving in both runs with a 258-foot bloop single to shallow left-center field.
—Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2023
This designation, if granted, would bring additional funding for cleanup efforts.
—Kate Holland, ABC News, 7 Dec. 2023
Workers involved in cleanup efforts around Sulfur Run in East Palestine, Ohio, following the train derailment.
—Roxana Saberi, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2024
Bars near explosion site close during cleanup Thompson’s Bookstore and The Archibald are two bars located right next door to the Sandman Signature Hotel on Houston Street.
—Harriet Ramosand, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Jan. 2024
Some of those include training conducted for municipality partners, a free Tree Friday event, a Rain Garden revitalized at Boys & Girls Club, Storm Drain Murals and cleanup events.
—Eplunus Colvin, Arkansas Online, 1 Nov. 2023
Traditionally, autumn has been seen as cleanup time in the garden, a season for raking (or blowing), clipping and whisking away.
—Tovah Martin, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2023
Volunteers have helped with cleanup initiatives, and neighbors have opened their doors to those who lost their homes.
—Vivi Smilgius, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Sep. 2023
Helen Regan, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Over the years, the league worked with local nonprofits and members even spent time cleaning up the cultural trail.
—Alexandria Burris, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Scott is at his most captivating in long, solo scenes of Tom grimacing with the effort of dragging suitcases around unfamiliar cities or cleaning up after his impulsive murders.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
Emergency crews and firefighters responded immediately and helped rescue both of the victims before cleaning up the damage.
—Peter Aitken, Fox News, 31 Mar. 2024
The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday set strict emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks, buses and other large vehicles, an action that officials said will help clean up some of the nation’s largest sources of planet-warming greenhouse gases.
—Matthew Daly, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2024
The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday set strict emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks, buses and other large vehicles, an action that officials said will help clean up some of the nation's largest sources of planet-warming greenhouse gases.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff and Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 30 Mar. 2024
The case stems from the 2016 presidential campaign, when, behind the scenes, Mr. Cohen was cleaning up his candidate’s messes.
—Alan Feuer, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2024
However, this type of caulk tends to be rigid and difficult to work with and clean up.
—Nor'adila Hepburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Mar. 2024
Noun
The cleanup of the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge is underway.
—Leslie Shapiro, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
In addition to its aforementioned proper roles in the cleanup effort and limited funding aid, the federal government should waive every environmental regulation that would hinder rebuilding the bridge.
—The Editors, National Review, 3 Apr. 2024
Today, the latest from Baltimore where bridge cleanup efforts continue.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
Catcher Will Smith, their cleanup hitter, also reached base three times and drove in a pair of runs.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
Related article Reopening the Port of Baltimore could take weeks as colossal wreckage cleanup gets underway, officials say
That’s well below the national rate of 3.9% in February and ranks 43rd out of 389 regions across the country with more than one million residents.
—Bryan Mena, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
The move would aim to speed cleanup in the aftermath of future disasters.
—Josh Snyder, arkansasonline.com, 31 Mar. 2024
The Transportation Department announced $60 million in emergency funding yesterday for the cleanup and rebuilding effort.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 29 Mar. 2024
Officials say cleanup efforts are ongoing, including the removal of contaminated soil.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 29 Mar. 2024
Adjective
After more than a decade of cleanup work, the plant began discharging the water after treating it and diluting it with seawater on Aug. 24, starting a process that’s expected to take decades.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024
The Rockies scored twice off Dodgers rookie right-hander Emmet Sheehan to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third, with cleanup man Elias Díaz driving in both runs with a 258-foot bloop single to shallow left-center field.
—Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2023
This designation, if granted, would bring additional funding for cleanup efforts.
—Kate Holland, ABC News, 7 Dec. 2023
Workers involved in cleanup efforts around Sulfur Run in East Palestine, Ohio, following the train derailment.
—Roxana Saberi, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2024
Bars near explosion site close during cleanup Thompson’s Bookstore and The Archibald are two bars located right next door to the Sandman Signature Hotel on Houston Street.
—Harriet Ramosand, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Jan. 2024
Some of those include training conducted for municipality partners, a free Tree Friday event, a Rain Garden revitalized at Boys & Girls Club, Storm Drain Murals and cleanup events.
—Eplunus Colvin, Arkansas Online, 1 Nov. 2023
Traditionally, autumn has been seen as cleanup time in the garden, a season for raking (or blowing), clipping and whisking away.
—Tovah Martin, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2023
Volunteers have helped with cleanup initiatives, and neighbors have opened their doors to those who lost their homes.
—Vivi Smilgius, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Sep. 2023
Verb
Everyday life for those in the capital Taipei had generally returned to normal on Thursday but residents closer to the epicenter face a lengthy clean up.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Over the years, the league worked with local nonprofits and members even spent time cleaning up the cultural trail.
—Alexandria Burris, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Scott is at his most captivating in long, solo scenes of Tom grimacing with the effort of dragging suitcases around unfamiliar cities or cleaning up after his impulsive murders.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
Emergency crews and firefighters responded immediately and helped rescue both of the victims before cleaning up the damage.
—Peter Aitken, Fox News, 31 Mar. 2024
The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday set strict emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks, buses and other large vehicles, an action that officials said will help clean up some of the nation’s largest sources of planet-warming greenhouse gases.
—Matthew Daly, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2024
The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday set strict emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks, buses and other large vehicles, an action that officials said will help clean up some of the nation's largest sources of planet-warming greenhouse gases.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff and Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 30 Mar. 2024
The case stems from the 2016 presidential campaign, when, behind the scenes, Mr. Cohen was cleaning up his candidate’s messes.
—Alan Feuer, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2024
However, this type of caulk tends to be rigid and difficult to work with and clean up.
—Nor'adila Hepburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cleanup.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Cleanup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleanup. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
cleanup
noun
clean·up
ˈklē-ˌnəp
: an act or instance of cleaning
helped with the cleanup after the meal
More from Merriam-Webster on cleanup
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cleanup
Nglish: Translation of cleanup for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of cleanup for Arabic Speakers
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