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
To effectively clean out containers that held standing water, officials recommend scrubbing them with hot, soapy water or a diluted bleach solution, according to a press release from the Vector Control District.
—
Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025
So there’s no need to clean out your cabinets to get rid of foods made with them.
—Renée Onque, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2025
To keep them clean, use a stiff brush at least quarterly to clean out sludge and food particles.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 7 Apr. 2025
She’d been slotted to clean out her office on the second floor at 9:15 a.m.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clean out
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Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025
So there’s no need to clean out your cabinets to get rid of foods made with them.
—Renée Onque, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2025
To keep them clean, use a stiff brush at least quarterly to clean out sludge and food particles.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 7 Apr. 2025
She’d been slotted to clean out her office on the second floor at 9:15 a.m.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 29 Mar. 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 29 Apr. 2025.
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