clean out

phrasal verb

cleaned out; cleaning out; cleans out

: to remove unwanted things from (a room, closet, etc.)

We spent the weekend cleaning out the garage.

informal : to steal or take everything from (someone or something)

The thieves broke in and cleaned out the store.

informal : to use up all or most of the money of (someone)

Buying the house really cleaned us out. Now we're broke.

Examples of clean out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Martin cleaned out gutters and shoveled snow by herself. —

Austin Corona, The Arizona Republic, 8 Dec. 2024 However, this does usually result in a higher premium. Safety Precautions For Dryer Use There are more safety precautions to be done than cleaning out your lint trap. —

Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 23 Nov. 2024 Allow excess water to flow from your washing machine's hose and clean out any debris; remove extra lint from your dryer filter; deep-clean your refrigerator. —

Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2024 One of those jobs was cleaning out my gutters last night. —

Wes Siler, Outside Online, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for clean out