clean
Americanadjective
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free from dirt; unsoiled; unstained.
She bathed and put on a clean dress.
- Synonyms:
- immaculate, neat
- Antonyms:
- dirty
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free from foreign or extraneous matter.
They filled the new sandbox with clean sand.
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free from pollution; unadulterated; pure.
clean air;
clean water.
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habitually free of dirt.
Cats are considered clean animals.
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characterized by a fresh, wholesome quality.
the clean smell of pine.
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free from all writing or marking.
a clean sheet of paper.
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having few or no corrections; easily readable.
The publisher demanded clean proofs from the printer.
- Synonyms:
- legible
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free from roughness or irregularity.
He made a clean cut with a razor.
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not ornate; gracefully spare; forceful and simple; trim; streamlined.
a clean literary style;
the clean lines of a ship.
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complete; unqualified.
She made a clean break from her old habits.
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morally upright; honorable.
to lead a clean life.
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showing good sportsmanship; fair.
a clean fighter.
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inoffensive in language or content; without obscenity.
Is this a clean movie?
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(of a document, record, etc.) bearing no marks of discreditable or unlawful conduct; listing no offenses.
a clean driver's license.
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Informal.
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innocent of any crime.
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not having a criminal record.
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carrying or containing no evidence of unlawful activity or intent, such as controlled substances, unlicensed weapons, or contraband.
The agents searched the car for drugs, but it was clean.
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Informal. not using addictive drugs.
He’s been clean for three years now.
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(of a nuclear weapon) producing little or no radioactive fallout.
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not radioactive.
- Antonyms:
- radioactive
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(of a document or financial instrument) free from qualifications or restrictions.
a clean bill of lading.
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free from defects or flaws.
a clean diamond.
- Synonyms:
- flawless, unblemished
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free from encumbrances or obstructions.
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(of food) free of synthetic additives, unfamiliar ingredients, excessive amounts of sugar, salt, fat, etc.; not overly processed or refined.
We sell only clean ice cream and confections in our cafe.
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neatly or evenly made or proportioned; shapely; trim.
a clean profile.
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done without any difficulty or interference.
The bank robbers made a clean getaway.
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dexterously performed; adroit.
a clean serve in tennis.
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(of a jump over an obstacle) made without touching the obstacle.
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Slang. having no direct associations, business interests, etc., that could prejudice one's official acts or decisions.
The new governor is clean because he's sold his construction business and doesn't owe political favors to anyone.
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Slang. without money or funds.
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(of wine) having a taste that is unusually refreshing and smooth.
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having no physical or moral blemish or carrying no taboo according to religious laws, especially dietary or ceremonial laws.
The horse was not a clean animal for the Israelites, and could not be eaten.
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Nautical. (of an anchorage, harbor, etc.) free of obstructions or hazards (opposed to foul).
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(of the legs of a horse) free from injury or blemish, as capped hocks, splints, or scars.
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Foreign Exchange. (of currency floats) not influenced by exchange-rate manipulation (opposed to dirty).
adverb
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in a way that is not dirty, messy, unwholesome, overly complicated, etc..
With practice I’ve learned to write clean and crisp, without flashy ornamentation.
After he got out of prison he decided to change his ways and live clean.
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so as to be free of dirt or stains.
This shirt will never wash clean.
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Informal. wholly; completely; quite.
The sharp carving knife sliced clean through the roast.
In a year, he had gone clean through his inheritance.
- Synonyms:
- thoroughly, entirely
verb (used with object)
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to make free of dirt, stains, mess, trash, etc..
Clean those dirty shoes.
I helped my dad clean the garage.
- Synonyms:
- wash, dust, mop, wipe, brush, sweep, scrub, scour, decontaminate, clear, purify, deterge, lave, rinse
- Antonyms:
- soil
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to remove or consume the contents of; empty; clear.
She sat down to dinner ravenous and within five minutes had cleaned her plate.
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to dry-clean.
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to remove the inedible parts from (poultry, fish, vegetables, fruit, etc.).
He caught the trout, cleaned it, and grilled it—all in 20 minutes.
I’ll clean these strawberries and cut them up.
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Metallurgy. to remove the seams from (a casting) by filing or grinding.
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Philately. to intentionally delete the cancellation from (a postage or revenue stamp).
verb (used without object)
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to perform or undergo a process of cleaning.
This kind of fabric cleans easily.
Detergents clean better than most soaps.
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to get rid of dirt, soil, etc. (often followed byup ).
to spend the morning cleaning.
verb phrase
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clean out
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to empty in order to straighten or clean.
I cleaned out my desk drawers and threw away a lot of junk.
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to use up; exhaust.
He had cleaned out his savings.
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Informal. to drive out by force.
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to empty or rid (a place) of occupants, contents, etc..
Eager customers cleaned out the store on the first day of the sale.
The thief cleaned out the safe.
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Slang. to cause to lose all or almost all one's money or possessions.
Gambling eventually cleaned her out.
I got cleaned out last night at poker—the cards were marked.
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clean up
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to wash or tidy up.
They came in from the barn and cleaned up for dinner.
Clean up this mess in the hallway.
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to be washed or tidied up so as to leave no dirt, stains, mess, etc..
This new jacket of mine cleans up really nicely.
The great thing about water-based paints is that they clean up so easily.
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Informal. to become more stylishly or formally dressed when needed, as for a social outing or business engagement.
Wow, a suit and tie—you clean up pretty good!
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to rid of undesirable persons or features.
They cleaned up the local bars.
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to put an end to; finish.
to clean up yesterday's chores.
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Informal. to make a large profit.
They cleaned up in the stock market.
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idioms
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eat clean, to reduce one’s consumption of processed and refined foods in favor of whole foods.
Raising our children to eat clean has been easier than we expected.
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clean up one's act. act.
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clean full,
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(of a sail or sails) filled with wind; rap full.
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(of a sailing vessel) with all sails full of wind; rap full.
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clean house, to wipe out corruption, inefficiency, etc., as in an organization.
It's time for the city government to clean house.
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come clean, to tell the truth, especially to admit one's guilt.
When they offered him a plea bargain, he finally came clean.
adjective
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without dirt or other impurities; unsoiled
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without anything in it or on it
a clean page
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recently washed; fresh
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without extraneous or foreign materials
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without defect, difficulties, or problems
a clean test flight
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(of a nuclear weapon) producing little or no radioactive fallout or contamination
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uncontaminated Compare dirty
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(of a wound, etc) having no pus or other sign of infection
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pure; morally sound
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without objectionable language or obscenity
a clean joke
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(of printer's proofs, etc) relatively free from errors; easily readable
clean copy
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thorough or complete
a clean break
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dexterous or adroit
a clean throw
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sport played fairly and without fouls
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simple in design
a ship's clean lines
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aeronautics causing little turbulence; streamlined
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(of an aircraft) having no projections, such as rockets, flaps, etc, into the airstream
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honourable or respectable
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habitually neat
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(esp of a driving licence) showing or having no record of offences
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slang
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innocent; not guilty
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not carrying illegal drugs, weapons, etc
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nautical
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having its bottom clean
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having a satisfactory bill of health
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Old Testament
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(of persons) free from ceremonial defilement
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(of animals, birds, and fish) lawful to eat
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New Testament morally and spiritually pure
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See sweep
verb
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to make or become free of dirt, filth, etc
the stove cleans easily
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(tr) to remove in making clean
to clean marks off the wall
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(tr) to prepare (fish, poultry, etc) for cooking
to clean a chicken
adverb
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in a clean way; cleanly
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not_standard (intensifier)
clean forgotten
clean dead
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cricket bowled by a ball that breaks the wicket without hitting the batsman or his bat
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informal to make a revelation or confession
noun
Synonym Usage
Clean, clear, pure refer to freedom from soiling, flaw, stain, or mixture. Clean refers especially to freedom from soiling: a clean shirt. Clear refers particularly to freedom from flaw or blemish: a clear pane of glass. Pure refers especially to freedom from mixture or stain: a pure metal; not diluted but pure and full strength. Clean, cleanse refer to removing dirt or impurities. To clean is the general word with no implication of method or means: to clean windows, a kitchen, streets. Cleanse is especially used of thorough cleaning by chemical or other technical process; figuratively it applies to moral or spiritual purification: to cleanse parts of machinery; to cleanse one's soul of guilt.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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cleannessnoun
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overcleannessnoun
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precleanverb (used with object)
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recleanverb (used with object)
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cleanableadjective
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half-cleanedadjective
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overcleanadjective
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supercleanadjective
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uncleanedadjective
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overcleanlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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cleansimple
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cleanssimple
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have cleanedperfect
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has cleanedperfect
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am cleaningprogressive
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are cleaningprogressive
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is cleaningprogressive
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have been cleaningperfect progressive
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has been cleaningperfect progressive
Past
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cleanedsimple
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had cleanedperfect
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was cleaningprogressive
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were cleaningprogressive
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had been cleaningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of clean
First recorded before 900; Middle English clene, Old English clǣne “pure, clear,” cognate with Old High German kleini ( German klein “small”)
Explanation
The meaning of clean usually refers to removing something unwanted: you clean your hands by washing them, then you can clean some grapes. This word has many meanings related to being pure or empty. You clean a chicken by plucking its feathers, or get cleaned out when you lose all your money at poker. If a drug addict is clean, he's no longer using. You can clean someone’s clock, clean up your act, or clean out a safe and make a clean getaway. If the floor is clean enough to eat off, it's very clean. A clean life is morally pure.
Vocabulary lists containing clean
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Practicing proper hand washing and washing all fresh produce under clean running water are also key, although they don’t eliminate the risk of contamination completely.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
He took to social media to thank the council staff who were out first thing on Sunday morning to clean up the mess.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
After rinsing the pipe, workers will refill it with clean water, refill the hole and repave the street.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
“I try to just be very clean with what I eat, what I put on my skin,” she says, holding a drink that contains high-fructose corn syrup.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
It was a far cry from the airy, clean commissary of the picture studio.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
This refinery also risks becoming a stranded asset as the world moves toward cleaner energy.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
Because the ultra fine bubbles vanish after drying, the researchers believe their method could provide a cleaner, more precise way to produce next generation microdevices without the drawbacks of conventional ink additives.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026
Applying to be a train conductor, which starts at $26.70 an hour, also becomes easier once a candidate has logged time as a cleaner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Antonio Rogers, 71 years old, a transit cleaner, says at least once a month he finds a heavy piece of furniture that someone tried to haul via the subway but gave up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
He told us we weren’t leaving until that Wendy’s was cleaner than it ever was.
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
Ohtani gave up seven hits for a quality start that wasn’t his cleanest but was enough for the Dodgers to win after Hernández’s blast.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026
As Brusuelas puts it: "It's the cleanest shirt in a very filthy laundry."
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
The reward is the cleanest public market exposure to the only fuel that solves the AI grid problem at scale.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 30, 2026
Croatia’s grid is among the cleanest in Europe: Renewables supplied more than 52% of all electricity consumed in 2025, with a further 15% from nuclear.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026
“I can’t tell you how disgusted I am right now. At least don’t eat the floor. Or the chairs or tables. The walls might be the cleanest, up high.”
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
Because demand for the free cleans is so high, they are stationed in New York indefinitely, cleaning around five apartments a day, five days a week.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
Bass has credited her Inside Safe program, which cleans encampments and moves people into motel rooms, for driving the recent decline in street sleeping.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026
Beach cleans, bird watching, countryside walks, workshops, lectures and talks as well as a foray into macro-photography all feature in the programme of more than 25 events.
From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026
WSJ | Buy Side: This lightweight, agile cordless vacuum cleans in all directions, with a green laser to show hidden dust.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
Max’s parents split up before he was bom and his mother cleans motel rooms for minimum wage.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
Residents have also suggested the source of the flies could be the area's drains, which they claim aren't cleaned as regularly as they used to be.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
He notes that without his previous experience recognizing fossilized wasp nests, he might have simply cleaned away the unusual sediment during fossil preparation.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026
Other times, it’s so strong it’s as if she stuck her head inside an old trash can that’s never been cleaned.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
Meanwhile, a handful of investors who sold early cleaned up.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
Jiller had cleaned the cut on his forehead, but his head still ached, and Sheba's jeering words of warning tormented him.
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
Farmers have a crucial role in cleaning up one of the UK's most polluted river systems and could save money in the process, a new study has shown.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
"When Alzheimer's patients lose this stage, they lose their brain's primary cleaning cycle, creating a feed-forward loop that may drive further damage."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
Charlotte was cleaning out her parents’ garage last summer when she found a box of catalogs, circa 1996–1999. dELiA*s, MoxieGirl, Alloy — they were all there.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
The case sought to block Shell's exit from Nigeria's onshore oil sector, without cleaning up decades of pollution.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
“Whoa. It looks like Halloween in here,” he exclaimed as he wheeled in his cleaning cart.
From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
