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

There have been protests in response, from immigrant communities and those supporting them, who worry that those without legal status, who are trying to build new lives in the U.S. and have not committed additional crimes, could also be swept up by agents. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025

This thing does it all, such as sweeping up the dirt like a pro, scrubbing your floors, and even cleaning itself. —Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 14 Feb. 2025

Loading your audio article A crisp coastal breeze sweeps up the slopes of San Bruno Mountain, a landscape with deep significance to longtime conservationist David Schooley. —Ryan MacAsero, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2025

Jannet Valenzuela, the stepdaughter of a man who was swept up in the raids, stood near the Whispering Pines apartments, located a few blocks from the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus, at East 13th Avenue and Helena Street, at 9 a.m. Wednesday. —Jessica Seaman, The Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2025

Rhymes for sweep up

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