1
as in tidying (up)
to make a place neat and orderly by removing extraneous stuff
you're expected to clean up after you use the workroom
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in censoring
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 eradicating
to destroy all traces of
hurriedly cleaned up the mess that they had created in the kitchen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleaning (up)
Verb
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Residents began self-censoring in private chats and deleting posts out of fear of reprisal.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026 -
Meta executives emphasized at trial that the company continuously improves safety and addresses compulsive social media use without infringing on free speech or censoring users.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This makes prediction markets the most useful and precise tool for eradicating exposing insider trading that has ever existed—a tool Congress should rely on heavily, not legislate out of existence.—
Nic Puckrin,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
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In Namibia, local authorities were producing millions of tons of wood chips while eradicating an invasive bush.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Features of the proposal include new crossings to Bailey Fountain, shortening the crossing at Flatbush and Vanderbilt Avenues, creating an accessible path near Bailey Fountain and shifting the bike path north.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Orion entered the atmosphere on a steeper trajectory, shortening the heat shield’s exposure time to extreme heating.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Many Christian nationalists believe in erasing the boundaries between church and state, Andrew Whitehead, a professor of sociology at Indiana University Indianapolis, previously told USA TODAY.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
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The first is a stretch of the second quarter, when the Wolves were erasing a 19-point deficit.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Scenes of Japanese soccer fans sweeping stadiums and picking up trash after a match first drew public attention in France in 1998 — Japan’s first appearance in the World Cup.—
Stephen Wade,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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This is the latest example of Netflix picking up a series based on a digital format.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Zaragoza ‘keeper Esteban Andrada was shown a red card for a rather pantomime push on Huesca captain Jorge Pulido — and reacted to the dismissal by wiping out Pulido with a distinctly un-pantomime smash to the face (above).—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Outdoor Voices, once the toast of the category, faded into restructuring, wiping out its entire social media presence.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Jonathan Ruhe, fellow for American strategy at JINSA, echoed Stricker on the importance of abolishing the Iranian enrichment program.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
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Abdul El-Sayed is gaining momentum in a divisive three-way Democratic primary with an uncompromising argument for clarity on progressive priorities — Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, and ending US military aid to Israel.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For a few minutes at each end of that window, the moon’s edge will appear to align with that of the sun, blotting out the star’s fierce light and revealing the wispy corona off to one side.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
6 Apr. 2026
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From up in the space shuttle, in 1983, astronaut Sally Ride could see the pollution blotting out her Los Angeles hometown.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Cleaning (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleaning%20%28up%29. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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