sweep up

phrasal verb

swept up; sweeping up; sweeps up

1

: to remove dust, dirt, etc., from (something) by using a broom or brush

When I was sweeping up, I found an earring that I had lost.

Can you please sweep up the porch?

2

: to remove (something, such as dust, dirt, etc.) from a surface by using a broom or brush

She swept up the broken glass.

3

: to pick up (someone or something) in one quick, continuous motion

She swept the baby up and carried her to the crib.

4

: to brush or pull (hair) away from the face

—usually used as be swept up

Her hair was swept up in a bun.

Examples of sweep up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The stars, past and present, made the rounds on the Row, handlers and cameras in tow, each gaggle sweeping up curious civilians and clogging up the narrower byways. —Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025

Work carefully: Start by removing larger pieces, then vacuum or sweep up small shards. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2025

Gutierrez says the idea of a complete outsider — perhaps even a woman — coming in with a clean broom to sweep up the federation was always unlikely. —Dermot Corrigan, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025

The Odyssey is Nolan’s first movie since Oppenheimer, which swept up at last year’s Oscars. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2025

Rhymes for sweep up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup