clean out
phrasal verb
cleaned out; cleaning out; cleans out
1
: to remove unwanted things from (a room, closet, etc.)
We spent the weekend cleaning out the garage.
2
informal
: to steal or take everything from (someone or something)
The thieves broke in and cleaned out the store.
3
informal
: to use up all or most of the money of (someone)
Buying the house really cleaned us out. Now we're broke.
Examples of clean out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Regularly clean out anything that needs to have water, such as a bird bath.
—
Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 21 July 2025
In the second surgery, the rest of the infection was cleaned out and the wound could finally be closed.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 July 2025
The art lives on Davis, who now preserves his work by opening up the toys, cleaning out unused aluminum powder and sealing them shut, sees his art as part of a broader mission.
—Aurora Martínez, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2025
Walsh spoke with Kyle McCormick, who was cleaning out his father-in-law's home in Kerr County.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean out
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Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 21 July 2025
In the second surgery, the rest of the infection was cleaned out and the wound could finally be closed.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 July 2025
The art lives on Davis, who now preserves his work by opening up the toys, cleaning out unused aluminum powder and sealing them shut, sees his art as part of a broader mission.
—Aurora Martínez, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2025
Walsh spoke with Kyle McCormick, who was cleaning out his father-in-law's home in Kerr County.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean out
Cite this Entry
“Clean out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clean%20out. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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