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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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
The stoneware resists chips, scratches, and stains, and everything is dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 Humphrey recommended additional cleanup, including replacement of the Moores’ appliances and the heating and air conditioning system. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 Guests can also participate in a range of environmental programs including coastline cleanups, recycling efforts, and reef protection activity that includes going fishing for destructive lionfish—and then enjoying a meal cooked with it. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026 For now, Gibson’s reps have been left playing cleanup after the weekend incident at Fan Expo Canada. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 31 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
  • His work frequently censored by the Israeli government, Mansour developed a vocabulary of symbols that today functions as a language of resistance.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The crackdown remains a political taboo on the mainland, where authorities tightly censor discussion and prohibit public commemorations.
    — Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of censor
Verb
  • For decades, deer had populated Santa Rosa Island, but they were eradicated from the island at the end of 2011 to restore its native ecosystem and protect its natural vegetation.
    — Noe Padilla, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Within a year of its onset, the economic depression practically eradicated the need to mint any new coinage for months.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of eradicate
Noun
  • After a weeks-long trial, the jury found Donna guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation of murder in the for-hire killing of Markel.
    — Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Judge Andy Porter found Tracy Walters not guilty by reason of insanity in the December 2021 killing of Cynthia Cervantes, a social worker and Navy veteran.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of killing
Verb
  • That could reduce development costs and shorten the path toward manufacturing.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The artist formerly known as Miley Cyrus appears to have changed her name, or just shortened it, to herald a new professional chapter.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of shorten
Verb
  • That means the race winner could potentially gain 75 points in a single race on another driver, and that has the potential to erase gaps very quickly.
    — Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Trump is moving to strip California’s emissions authority, end tax credits and erase electric vehicle sales mandates, reshaping the national market while leaving the state’s clean-car future tangled in Washington-level uncertainty.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of erase
Noun
  • The answer is that the creditor gets to keep the $15,000 as pure profit.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Elwood’s father was an Episcopal pastor, and his mother worked for non-profits, including New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of profit
Verb
  • The startup has become perhaps the leading platform for building, sharing and running AI models, particularly in the open source and weight ecosystem — which means developers can edit and self-host a model.
    — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
  • But this interview only required light editing for brevity and clarity.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of edit
Verb
  • This July, the EU enacted one of their demands, abolishing the customs duty exemption below €150 and introducing a temporary €3 duty per item.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Others, like abolishing the Senate and Supreme Court, are more controversial and used by Republicans to hammer DSA candidates as out of step with the American mainstream.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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