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
Donna Kim, Bon Appétit, 29 Nov. 2024
While air fryers make cooking healthier and more convenient, cleanup can be tricky.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 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
Dana Thomas, Architectural Digest, 20 Nov. 2024
Before the primary election, Kim was mostly known for being photographed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, with a trash bag in hand, cleaning up after the pro-Trump mob breached the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cleanup 
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Noun
The cookware has nearly nonstick interiors, ensuring even cooking and easy cleanup.
—Donna Kim, Bon Appétit, 29 Nov. 2024
While air fryers make cooking healthier and more convenient, cleanup can be tricky.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 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
Take the case of the flèche, the iconic 315-foot-tall spire that was added by Viollet-le-Duc in the 1860s and whose lead coverings melted during the fire, blanketing the site with toxic particles that have since been cleaned up.
—Dana Thomas, Architectural Digest, 20 Nov. 2024
Before the primary election, Kim was mostly known for being photographed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, with a trash bag in hand, cleaning up after the pro-Trump mob breached the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cleanup
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Cite this Entry
“Cleanup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleanup. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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