Table of Content
- Definition of Clean Up
- Forms and Tenses of Clean Up
- Meaning and usage of Clean Up
- Common Expressions with Clean Up
- The list of synonyms for Clean Up
- The list of antonyms for Clean Up
- 70 Example sentences with Clean Up
Definition of “clean up”: the exact definition of the phrasal verb “clean up” and how it is used in a sentence
The phrasal verb “clean up” means to make something clean or tidy by removing dirt, clutter, or mess. It can also refer to the act of cleaning up after oneself or others, such as by washing dishes or putting away toys.
Here are a few examples of how “clean up” can be used in a sentence:
- “I’m going to clean up the kitchen before we leave.” (meaning: I’m going to make the kitchen clean and tidy by removing any dirt or mess.)
- “Can you please clean up your room before your friends come over?” (meaning: Can you please make your room clean and tidy by removing any clutter or mess?)
- “The janitor is responsible for cleaning up the classroom after school.” (meaning: The janitor is responsible for making the classroom clean and tidy by removing any dirt or mess.)
- “We need to clean up the mess we made before anyone sees it.” (meaning: We need to make the area clean and tidy by removing any dirt or mess we created.)
- “I always try to clean up after myself in the office so as not to leave a mess for others to deal with.” (meaning: I always try to make sure I remove any dirt or mess I create so that others don’t have to clean it up.)
Forms and tenses: the different forms and tenses of “clean up” and examples of how to use each one
“Clean up” is a phrasal verb that consists of the verb “clean” and the particle “up.” It is an irregular verb, and its forms and tenses are as follows:
- Simple present: “I clean up the kitchen every day.” (meaning: I make the kitchen clean and tidy on a daily basis.)
- Simple past: “I cleaned up the kitchen after dinner.” (meaning: I made the kitchen clean and tidy after we finished eating.)
- Present continuous: “I am cleaning up the kitchen right now.” (meaning: I am in the process of making the kitchen clean and tidy at this moment.)
- Past continuous: “I was cleaning up the kitchen when you called.” (meaning: I was in the process of making the kitchen clean and tidy when you called.)
- Present perfect: “I have cleaned up the kitchen already.” (meaning: I made the kitchen clean and tidy at some point in the past and it is still clean now.)
- Past perfect: “I had cleaned up the kitchen before you arrived.” (meaning: I made the kitchen clean and tidy at some point in the past before a specific event or time.)
- Future simple: “I will clean up the kitchen after we finish eating.” (meaning: I will make the kitchen clean and tidy at some point in the future after we finish eating.)
- Future continuous: “I will be cleaning up the kitchen when you get home.” (meaning: I will be in the process of making the kitchen clean and tidy at some point in the future when you get home.)
- Future perfect: “I will have cleaned up the kitchen by the time you get home.” (meaning: I will have made the kitchen clean and tidy at some point in the past before a specific event or time in the future.)
Meaning and usage: the different meanings and uses of “clean up” and examples of how to use it in different contexts
“Clean up” can have several different meanings and uses, depending on the context in which it is used. Here are a few examples:
- To make something clean or tidy by removing dirt, clutter, or mess: “I’m going to clean up the garage before we start painting.” (meaning: I’m going to make the garage clean and tidy by removing any clutter or mess.)
- To clean up after oneself or others: “Can you please clean up your toys before you go to bed?” (meaning: Can you please put away your toys and make the area clean and tidy?)
- To tidy up a specific area or space: “I’m going to clean up the living room before our guests arrive.” (meaning: I’m going to make the living room clean and tidy by removing any clutter or mess.)
- To remove or clean up a specific type of mess or substance: “We need to clean up the oil spill before it causes any more damage to the environment.” (meaning: We need to remove the oil spill and make the area clean and tidy.)
- To clean up after an event or activity: “I’m going to help clean up after the party.” (meaning: I’m going to help make the area clean and tidy after the party is over by removing any clutter or mess.)
- To clean up a mess or situation: “We need to clean up this mess before anyone gets hurt.” (meaning: We need to remove the mess and make the area safe and tidy.)
- To clean up or improve the appearance or condition of something: “I’m going to clean up the garden by pulling out the weeds and trimming the bushes.” (meaning: I’m going to improve the appearance and condition of the garden by removing the weeds and trimming the bushes.)
Common expressions with “clean up”: some common expressions that use “clean up” and their meanings and uses
Here are some common expressions that use the phrase “clean up”:
- “Clean up your act” – This means to improve one’s behavior or appearance. For example, “If you want to get the promotion, you need to clean up your act and start showing up on time.”
- “Clean up your room” – This means to make one’s room clean and tidy by removing clutter and mess. For example, “Mom told me to clean up my room before she gets home.”
- “Clean up after yourself” – This means to tidy up and remove any mess one has made. For example, “Please remember to clean up after yourself in the kitchen.”
- “Clean up on aisle five” – This is a phrase used in retail or grocery stores to announce that there is a spill or mess that needs to be cleaned up in a specific aisle.
- “Clean up the neighborhood” – This means to improve the appearance or condition of a neighborhood by removing litter, graffiti, or other types of mess. For example, “The city council is trying to clean up the neighborhood by installing more trash cans and hiring additional maintenance workers.”
- “Clean up your language” – This means to stop using offensive or inappropriate language. For example, “You need to clean up your language if you want to be taken seriously.”
The list of synonyms for “Clean Up”
These words can be used interchangeably with “clean up” to convey the idea of making something clean, neat, and orderly.
Here is a list of synonyms for “clean up”:
- Tidy up
- Neaten
- Straighten
- Organize
- Declutter
- Purge
- Sweep
- Dust
- Wipe
- Scrub
- Wash
- Polish
- Spruce up
- Freshen
- Sanitize
- Purify
- Clear
- Remove dirt
- Decontaminate
- Renew
The list of antonyms for “Clean Up”
These words represent concepts opposite to “clean up” and imply actions or situations that lead to disorder, dirtiness, or untidiness.
Here is a list of antonyms for “clean up”:
- Mess up
- Clutter
- Disorganize
- Scatter
- Dirty
- Soil
- Pollute
- Contaminate
- Stain
- Neglect
- Ignore
- Leave untidy
- Neglect
- Disorder
- Ruin
- Unclean
- Taint
- Defile
- Messy
- Ruin
70 Example sentences with Break Up
- I’m going to clean up the kitchen before going to bed.
- She’s going to clean up the living room before the party.
- He’s going to clean up the garage before the weekend.
- I’m going to clean up my desk before starting work.
- She’s going to clean up the backyard before the barbecue.
- He’s going to clean up the guest room before the guests arrive.
- I’m going to clean up the bathroom before my mother-in-law comes over.
- She’s going to clean up the bedroom before going to bed.
- He’s going to clean up the basement before starting his workout.
- I’m going to clean up the dining room before dinner.
- She’s going to clean up the office before starting her shift.
- He’s going to clean up the patio before the barbecue.
- I’m going to clean up the playroom before the kids get home.
- She’s going to clean up the laundry room before starting a load of laundry.
- He’s going to clean up the kitchen before cooking dinner.
- I’m going to clean up the living room before the movie starts.
- She’s going to clean up the garage before the car wash.
- He’s going to clean up the guest room before the guests arrive.
- I’m going to clean up the bathroom before my sister comes over.
- She’s going to clean up the bedroom before going to bed.
- He’s going to clean up the basement before working on his project.
- I’m going to clean up the dining room before the guests arrive.
- She’s going to clean up the office before starting her shift.
- He’s going to clean up the patio before the barbecue.
- I’m going to clean up the playroom before the kids get home from school.
- She’s going to clean up the laundry room before starting a load of laundry.
- He’s going to clean up the kitchen before cooking breakfast.
- I’m going to clean up the living room before the party starts.
- She’s going to clean up the garage before the car show.
- He’s going to clean up the guest room before the in-laws arrive.
- I’m going to clean up the bathroom before the guests arrive.
- She’s going to clean up the bedroom before going to sleep.
- He’s going to clean up the basement before the game night.
- I’m going to clean up the dining room before dinner.
- She’s going to clean up the office before the meeting.
- He’s going to clean up the patio before the barbecue.
- I’m going to clean up the playroom before the kids get home from camp.
- She’s going to clean up the laundry room before starting a load of laundry.
- He’s going to clean up the kitchen before cooking lunch.
- I’m going to clean up the living room before the movie marathon.
- She’s going to clean up the garage before the car repair.
- He’s going to clean up the guest room before the guests arrive.
- I’m going to clean up the bathroom before the guests arrive.
- She’s going to clean up the bedroom before going to bed.
- He’s going to clean up the basement before the game night.
- I’m going to clean up the dining room before the dinner party.
- He’s going to clean up the office before the meeting.
- I’m going to clean up the patio before the barbecue.
- She’s going to clean up the playroom before the kids get home from school.
- He’s going to clean up the laundry room before starting a load of laundry.
- I’m going to clean up the kitchen before cooking dinner.
- She’s going to clean up the living room before the movie starts.
- He’s going to clean up the garage before the car show.
- I’m going to clean up the guest room before the in-laws arrive.
- She’s going to clean up the bathroom before the guests arrive.
- He’s going to clean up the bedroom before going to sleep.
- I’m going to clean up the basement before the game night.
- She’s going to clean up the dining room before the dinner party.
- He’s going to clean up the office before the meeting.
- I’m going to clean up the patio before the barbecue.
- She’s going to clean up the playroom before the kids get home from camp.
- He’s going to clean up the laundry room before starting a load of laundry.
- I’m going to clean up the kitchen before cooking lunch.
- She’s going to clean up the living room before the movie marathon.
- He’s going to clean up the garage before the car repair.
- I’m going to clean up the guest room before the guests arrive.
- She’s going to clean up the bathroom before the guests arrive.
- He’s going to clean up the bedroom before going to bed.
- I’m going to clean up the basement before the game night.
- She’s going to clean up the dining room before the dinner party.