1
: an act or instance of cleaning
The children helped with the cleanup.
2
: an exceptionally large profit
made a cleanup [=killing] when he sold his stocks
: being in the fourth position in the batting order of a baseball team
a cleanup hitter
cleanup
adverb
cleaned up; cleaning up; cleans up
1
: to make a spectacular profit in a business enterprise or a killing in speculation or gambling
2
: to become free of drug or alcohol addiction
I always cleaned up for tours. … By the end of the tour, I'm perfectly clean and should have stayed sober.—
Keith Richards
Keith RichardsExamples of cleanup in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ross Mantle, New York Times, 21 May 2026
The setup is as simple as plugging it in — there’s no warm-up time, and cleanup is just as easy thanks to the removable tray and included cleaning brush.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 25 Apr. 2026
Johnston said some of the risks could’ve been avoided if the state committed to proper safeguards, such as post-cleanup sampling, sooner.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 18 May 2026
Officially, the state lists 19,000 orphan wells that state regulators are responsible for cleaning up, but the true figure is likely over 300,000, according to federal researchers.
—Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleanup
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Noun
And plenty of dogs emptied their bladders in the rings, prompting some cleanup and straw removal.
—Ross Mantle, New York Times, 21 May 2026
The setup is as simple as plugging it in — there’s no warm-up time, and cleanup is just as easy thanks to the removable tray and included cleaning brush.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
Adjective
Volunteers from the Salvation Army of Arkansas, the American Red Cross, and Baptist Disaster Relief arrived in town throughout the day on Friday to assist with cleanup efforts and support.
—Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 25 Apr. 2026
Johnston said some of the risks could’ve been avoided if the state committed to proper safeguards, such as post-cleanup sampling, sooner.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
After Irwin's well-connected, former police officer brother (Adam Driver) gets them involved in a scheme related to cleaning up the Gowanus Canal, Russian mafia threats put their working-class life under siege.
—ABC News, 18 May 2026
Officially, the state lists 19,000 orphan wells that state regulators are responsible for cleaning up, but the true figure is likely over 300,000, according to federal researchers.
—Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleanup
Cite this Entry
“Cleanup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleanup. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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