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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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Dissimilar Words

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 report quoted Shipilova's neighbors as saying a team of disinfection experts did several cleanups of her apartment, leaving a strong antiseptic smell. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026 Ty France, the cleanup hitter since July, might be this season’s team MVP. — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026 If employees finish work faster but face more reviews, corrections, context switching or after-hours cleanup, productivity has not truly improved. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026 Separate the prep area from the cooking area from the cleanup area so every task has a landing spot. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 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
  • This trend will only grew the more there is an attempt to censor.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The North Dakota incident, while the most egregious attempt to censor Vonnegut, was not the only case of its kind.
    — Susan Farrell, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of censor
Verb
  • But somehow, in the midst of all this frat-boy revelry, Ilya is able to outline his vision for the future, one in which AI will have solved numerous human problems, including eradicating not only cancer but also loneliness and unhappiness.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
  • This park is the result of the Tompkins’ passion for this part of the world and their desire to rewild this part of Chile that had been overfarmed and overgrazed to the point of almost eradicating its native flora and fauna.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of eradicate
Noun
  • Roberts was indicted on a first-degree murder charge in Russell’s killing.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Much of the criticism of Hegseth’s plan for Hasan has centered not on the method of killing, but on the livestreaming of it.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of killing
Verb
  • Repeatable return could help Exobiosphere shorten experimental cycles and advance promising findings toward practical applications.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Potentially lifesaving and cost-saving decisions to shorten courses, redistribute staff, streamline, or expand resources could come from quantified inputs, in conjunction with prior experience.
    — Vibhu Krishna, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of shorten
Verb
  • Still, her father’s dinner does not erase his refusal to recognize her gender; his refusal does not make the dinner or hospital bill imaginary.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026
  • But that doesn’t erase the fact that Gromit breaking kayfabe for his memoir sucks.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of erase
Noun
  • The Ellison regime has revealed itself thus far as a shirtsleeve operation, one zeroed in on lowering costs and boosting profits.
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Next week will bring high-profile profit reports from the country’s biggest banks, including Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo all on Tuesday.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of profit
Verb
  • Blair Kerkhoff contributed; the summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
    — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026
  • It was edited by Sarah Handel, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Tinbete Ermyas.
    — October 2, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of edit
Verb
  • This endeavor is not easy, and these companies are strongly advocating for abolishing the leap second.
    — Vahe Peroomian, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Amendment, which abolished slavery and argued that loopholes in the amendment helped pave the way for the mass incarceration of Black Americans.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of abolish

Browse Nearby Words

cleans up one's act
clean (up)
cleanup
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Cite this Entry

“Clean (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clean%20%28up%29. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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