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 RichardsExamples of cleanup in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
John Leos, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024
Though the cleanup began long before Posen’s arrival, Gap Inc. has now seen sales grow for four consecutive quarters, and its stock is up 16 percent.
—Irina Aleksander, Vogue, 11 Dec. 2024
Nwa Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 16 Oct. 2024
The rule further gave public water suppliers and other institutions like the military until 2027 to determine the level of PFAS contamination in their systems and until 2029 to initiate cleanup operations.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 25 Sep. 2024
Jason Walker, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
Kennedy had recently helped form the Waterkeeper Alliance, a network of environmental groups dedicated to cleaning up polluted waterways.
—Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cleanup 
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Noun
While the bill was passed without objection, not all lawmakers agree that the cost for cleanup should fall on the taxpayers.
—John Leos, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024
Though the cleanup began long before Posen’s arrival, Gap Inc. has now seen sales grow for four consecutive quarters, and its stock is up 16 percent.
—Irina Aleksander, Vogue, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
The event includes two cleanup opportunities: picking up trash on Piney Road or helping with trail clearing and maintenance related to damage from tornadoes that hit Benton County over Memorial Day weekend.
—Nwa Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 16 Oct. 2024
The rule further gave public water suppliers and other institutions like the military until 2027 to determine the level of PFAS contamination in their systems and until 2029 to initiate cleanup operations.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 25 Sep. 2024
Verb
Thank the servers and the kitchen staff, those who set things up and will be cleaning up after you're gone – their work is essential and contributes to the success of the event.
—Jason Walker, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
Kennedy had recently helped form the Waterkeeper Alliance, a network of environmental groups dedicated to cleaning up polluted waterways.
—Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cleanup
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Dictionary Entries Near cleanup
Cite this Entry
“Cleanup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleanup. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.
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