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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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)
Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 16 Dec. 2024
Pro tip: Line the sheet with parchment or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2024
Almost a dozen people were killed in the devastating storm, and cleanup could take as long as a year.
—Jay Reddick, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Dec. 2024
For example, in addition to offering visitors a glimpse into the Southeast’s complex ecosystem, the South Carolina Aquarium uses a portion of its admission fees to fund a sea turtle hospital, beach cleanups, and other initiatives.
—Lauren Mowery, AFAR Media, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clean (up) 
Noun
The cleanup had cost the department over half a million dollars, and the logistics of bringing heavy machinery off a paved road and up the sloping hillside took two years of planning.
—Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 16 Dec. 2024
Pro tip: Line the sheet with parchment or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2024
Almost a dozen people were killed in the devastating storm, and cleanup could take as long as a year.
—Jay Reddick, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Dec. 2024
For example, in addition to offering visitors a glimpse into the Southeast’s complex ecosystem, the South Carolina Aquarium uses a portion of its admission fees to fund a sea turtle hospital, beach cleanups, and other initiatives.
—Lauren Mowery, AFAR Media, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
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The quorum court or city council members would have met to consider and vote on whether to censor the challenged material, either by withdrawing it from the library's main collection or relocating it to another part of the library.Ron Wood, arkansasonline.com, 23 Dec. 2024
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Censorship may seem black and white: an artwork is either altered or removed because of its politics, the thinking goes, and if the politics aren’t the issue, that piece wasn’t censored.Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Individual errors cannot be eradicated entirely, but must be reduced.Matt Woosnam, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
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Smallpox was eradicated worldwide in 1980, but stocks of the virus still exist in U.S. and Russian biocontainment facilities.Arthur L. Kellermann, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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But homicides were up, with nine killings through November versus five during the same time frame last year.Cedar Attanasio, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
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In the wake of the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, an unexpected cultural phenomenon is unfolding.Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Due to trending transfer policies of the elite sides — investing in young talent yet to reach their peak — the opportunity to make the move to a big club is shortening.Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
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In 2023, 81% of U.S. retailers rolled out stricter return policies, including shortening the return window and charging a return or restocking fee, according to another report from Happy Returns.Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This game won’t erase the lingering feelings in the Lions’ locker room about how that game unfolded.Colton Pouncy, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
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After leaving a voicemail for his childhood love, Nancy (Julianne Moore), on a drunken New Year's Eve, Jack (Alec Baldwin) is determined to erase the message at any cost.Boutayna Chokrane, Vogue, 27 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Your business's profit directly affects how much your business is worth.Lien De Pau, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
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The bookstore also offers a consignment program for Milwaukee area creators, in which creators keep 75% of their profit for their creations and will have access to the store for art showcases.Adrienne Davis, Journal Sentinel, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This conversation has been edited for length, clarity and continuity.Megan Poinski, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
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Disney declined comment on the nature of the specific storyline that was cut or how much was edited or removed, but confirmed its removal.Brian Welk, IndieWire, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Hungary has abolished income tax for mothers under the age of 30.Angela Saini, WIRED, 29 Dec. 2024
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Billionaire Elon Musk, a close Trump adviser who is leading an effort to curb bureaucracy, has called for abolishing the agency.Manya Saini, USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.
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