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 Remember to clean out the unit per the manufacturer's directions. —

Jessica Migala, Health, 19 June 2024 The channel has over 1 million subscribers, and James regularly posts videos of himself cleaning out and detailing used cars. —

Rebecca Aizin, Peoplemag, 10 June 2024 To protect yourself from mosquitoes, the City of Fort Worth recommends dumping outdoor containers of standing water like pools and birdbaths, as well as cleaning out gutters and tightly covering rain barrels or cisterns. —

Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2024 And the roof — which held 150 years’ worth of insulation, including asbestos — had to be completely cleaned out. —

Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 6 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for clean out

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clean out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.