clean (up) 1 of 2

verb

Definition of clean (up)next
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cleanup

2 of 2

noun

as in killing
an exceptionally large return The couple made a cleanup when they flipped the house.

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of clean (up)
Noun
Many parking spots have already been restored, and Smiley said that Bass promised parking enforcement would be suspended during the cleanup process to give residents more flexibility. — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026 Schrader credits their return to the Fox River – and a surprising choice by a pair of falcons to nest outside Aurora City Hall in early April that enamored the town – to a long history of river cleanup efforts. — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 The cleanup has generated thousands of odor complaints from surrounding neighborhoods and concerns about flies, rats and other pests. — City News Service, Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026 The former railyard, largely empty since railroad operators pulled out in the 1990s, was challenged for years by environmental cleanup efforts and difficult financing. — Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
  1. censor
  2. eradicate
  3. killing
  4. shorten
  5. erase
  6. profit
  7. edit
  8. abolish
Verb
  • The former pro athlete posted a family photo of himself, Panettiere and their daughter Kaya (whose face is censored by a bright orange dot) all smiles against a cloudy sky.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Broadcast stations do have some authority to censor political ads.
    — Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of censor
Verb
  • Golden mussels can eradicate fish populations and erode delta habitats, and California farmers could lose their water.
    — Ashley Sharp, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Now, there is a constant obsession over energy levels and management that has eradicated the previous ‘flat out’ approach to racing.
    — Luke Smith, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of eradicate
Noun
  • In the Southern District of New York, Mangione faces federal stalking charges connected to Thompson’s killing.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Mangione faces criminal charges following the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of killing
Verb
  • And because Preservé also allows an implant to be inserted above the muscle, recovery time can be shortened from an average of four to six weeks to a few days, while also retaining nipple sensation and muscle structure.
    — Emma Sandler, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Route 25 is adjusted to run on Aramingo, York and Frankford, and shortened to operate between Frankford Transit Center and Spring Garden.
    — Laura Fay, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of shorten
Verb
  • Their efforts have successfully erased half the population from public life and made Afghanistan one of the world’s most dangerous places to be a woman.
    — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • But what frightened me most was not death alone, but the idea of dying before my writings reached the world—that my story would disappear with me, and that my feelings, my memories, my identity, and my human experience would be erased.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of erase
Noun
  • Toyota, Honda and Nissan benefited in their most recent quarterly reports from a historically weak currency, with the first two upgrading their full-year forecasts and the latter seeing its first profit in about two years.
    — Justina Lee, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2026
  • This event is run entirely by museum volunteers, and all profits will benefit museum operations.
    — Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of profit
Verb
  • Since people can apply filters and use AI to edit photos of themselves, much of our modern standard of beauty is a look that can’t actually be replicated in real life.
    — Nicole Karlis, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026
  • As of Friday afternoon, Bobby Valli had edited the post to leave out the claim that his brother would retire.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of edit
Verb
  • Japan has faced growing criticism over its use of the death penalty, as a majority of the international community has abolished capital punishment.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Calls to abolish capital punishment or increase transparency have grown after the 2024 acquittal of the world’s longest-serving death-row inmate, Iwao Hakamada.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of abolish

Browse Nearby Words

cleans up one's act
clean (up)
cleanup
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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