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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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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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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as in killing
an exceptionally large return
The couple made a cleanup when they flipped the house.
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of clean (up)
Axios Portland, Axios, 17 Jan. 2025
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has already allocated $100 million to the cleanup effort.
—Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 17 Jan. 2025
If confirmed, Wright will take over a department that oversees the United States energy supplies, as well as the research and development of nuclear power, 17 laboratories and the cleanup of Cold War-era nuclear efforts.
—Darren Samuelsohn, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025
Offer specific help, such as providing meals, assisting with cleanup, or connecting them to local resources and shelters.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for clean (up) 
Noun
One year after the ice storm that devastated much of the Portland area, toppling hundreds of trees and knocking out power to thousands, some Lake Oswego residents are still working on cleanup and preparing for more extreme weather.
—Axios Portland, Axios, 17 Jan. 2025
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has already allocated $100 million to the cleanup effort.
—Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 17 Jan. 2025
If confirmed, Wright will take over a department that oversees the United States energy supplies, as well as the research and development of nuclear power, 17 laboratories and the cleanup of Cold War-era nuclear efforts.
—Darren Samuelsohn, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025
Offer specific help, such as providing meals, assisting with cleanup, or connecting them to local resources and shelters.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
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Soon, though, the authorities turned against Fang Fang, censoring her posts and banning her from publishing.—
John Ruwitch,
NPR,
24 Jan. 2025
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In fact, the Communications Act explicitly prohibits the Commission from censoring broadcasters.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The theory holds that a community that rids itself of petty crime, such as shoplifting, vandalism and trespassing, can eradicate more serious crime because criminals won’t have anywhere to hide.—
JULIE K. BROWN,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2025
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Its achievements include eradicating smallpox and bringing polio to the brink of elimination.—
Raul A. Reyes,
Newsweek,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Now investigators in at least three countries, including the United States, are sorting through a rogues’ gallery of players, trying to determine how the killing of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, 53, was carried out on July 7, 2021.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2025
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He was charged in the additional killings of 18-year-old Jill Barcomb, 21-year-old Jill Parenteau, 27-year-old Georgia Wixted and 32-year-old Charlotte Lamb after new DNA evidence connected him to the victims.—
Mollie Markowitz,
Fox News,
26 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The importance of love, and just seeing each other as human beings and how love can kind of shorten the gap of any divide between people.—
Tommy McArdle,
People.com,
27 Jan. 2025
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These costs appear to speed up their epigenetic aging, and even shorten their overall lifespans.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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President Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship threatens to erase the futures of countless children—children whose potential will go untapped, whose contributions to art, science, and justice might never be realized.—
Paola Mendoza,
TIME,
24 Jan. 2025
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Despite that, Djokovic played well enough to erase a deficit and overcome Alcaraz in four sets.—
Howard Fendrich,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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JPMorgan's profit rose to a record high in 2024 as its dealmakers and traders reaped a windfall from rebounding markets in the fourth quarter.—
Pritam Biswas and Nupur Anand,
USA TODAY,
25 Jan. 2025
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Killer cartels — now declared foreign terrorist organizations under Trump — have earned mind-boggling profits by moving record amounts of drugs and people across the porous southern border.—
Sharyl Attkisson,
Baltimore Sun,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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This article has been edited to include statements from Gibson and Voight.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
17 Jan. 2025
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Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians.—
Karin Wulf / Made by History,
TIME,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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About a quarter century after slavery was abolished in Puerto Rico (1873), another Afro-Puerto Rican genre emerged known as the plena.—
Vanessa Diaz,
Rolling Stone,
20 Jan. 2025
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Trump said in December that the debt ceiling should be abolished, a position shared by some liberal lawmakers.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
16 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to clean (up)
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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