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
as in killing
an exceptionally large return
The couple made a cleanup when they flipped the house.
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Recent Examples of clean (up)
Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
Making matters worse is that Rice reportedly underwent a knee cleanup procedure that now becomes more difficult to manage without the team’s physical training staff.
—Pete Sweeney
may 22, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026
And plenty of dogs emptied their bladders in the rings, prompting some cleanup and straw removal.
—Ross Mantle, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Recently, two whistleblowers told NBC News the cleanup was inconsistent and rushed.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Noun
Tear gas is typically employed by law enforcement for crowd control while pepper spray is often used by individuals for self-defense, according to hazmat and crime-scene cleanup company Bio Recovery, which operates mainly in the American south.
—Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
Making matters worse is that Rice reportedly underwent a knee cleanup procedure that now becomes more difficult to manage without the team’s physical training staff.
—Pete Sweeney
may 22, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026
And plenty of dogs emptied their bladders in the rings, prompting some cleanup and straw removal.
—Ross Mantle, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Recently, two whistleblowers told NBC News the cleanup was inconsistent and rushed.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clean (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clean (up)
Verb
-
By July 2025, 1 in 12 foundations had censored themselves by removing DEI language from their websites.—
Christopher Justin Einolf,
The Conversation,
22 May 2026
-
On the contrary, creators must speak out… the worst thing that could happen would be to remain silent or to be censored.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Blaine begins to relentlessly beat Sam in retaliation for eradicating his wife, Anneliese.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
-
Since tobacco first arrived on the shores of England in the late 16th century, some Brits have wanted to eradicate it.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Captives, gift giving, and diplomacy could help remedy a killing that was seen as an act against a community, not just an individual.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
-
The free agents listed above have value due to shot and goal suppression, penalty killing and the ability to impact the game physically.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
Jamen said Wscripted was hoping to shorten the lead times for development and financing with the new system.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
26 May 2026
-
The process of shrinking was different among the groups, with some dinosaurs reducing the size of the fingers first, while others prioritized shortening the forearm.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
The New York Knicks are going to the NBA Finals with a chance to erase a long run of postseason futility.—
Bob Harkins,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
Point Loma catcher Avery MacPherson erased that deficit in the home half of the third with her own three-run blast.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
In the end, the non-profit decided not to move ahead.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
Effectively, the commission regulates for profit, filling its own pockets with massive fines.—
Jeremy Talcott,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and clarity.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
-
Luke Snellin directed with ferocious love and ambition and it was edited very sharply by Simon Smith.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
While politicians can write all sorts of legislation meant to keep kids off smartphones and away from apps, games, and content not appropriate for them, merely writing a law is not the same as abolishing a market.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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In his encyclical, Leo recalled that his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, was the first pope to explicitly condemn slavery in 1888, long after many countries had abolished it.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
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