Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

clean up

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.95 in modern English

Syllables: clean up
IPA

11

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

1

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To make an area or a thing clean; to pick up a mess; to tidy.

Transitive verb

verb

To become clean, handsome, smart in appearance, e.g. for a special occasion, especially when it is out of character to be seen as such.

Colloquial; Intransitive verb

verb

To make something less corrupt or unseemly.

Transitive verb

verb

To make a large profit; to win by a large margin, or to win a large amount, especially in gambling. Also clean house.

Intransitive verb

verb

To intervene in a fight between two players at low health and easily kill both of them or the winner.

noun

Misspelling of cleanup.

Example Sentences

"Clean up your room."
"Rhos station had been cleaned up for the occasion, and its single platform was gay with flags."
"Mr Mayor, you were elected in a campaign to clean up the city. When are you gonna start?"
"At the same time, it is pouring money into cleaning up the country."
"He sure cleans up nice."
"clean up one's act"

Usage

Inflected Forms

cleans up (present, singular) cleaning up (participle, present) cleaned up (participle, past) cleaned up (past)

Phrases

cleaner-upper clean up one's act clean up one's plate clean out clean house

Frequently Paired Words

cleanup clean out clean house

Synonyms

scrub up tidy tidy up neaten straighten straighten out square away

Questions

What does clean up mean?: To make an area or a thing clean; to pick up a mess; to tidy.

How to pronounce clean up

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “clean up”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “clean up”.
Repeat and practice — Say “clean up” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.