clear up
Britishverb
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(tr) to explain or solve (a mystery, misunderstanding, etc)
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to put (a place or thing that is disordered) in order
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(intr) (of the weather) to become brighter
noun
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Clarify, explain, solve, as in Let's try to clear up this misunderstanding . [Late 1600s]
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Become clear, as in After the storm, it cleared up very quickly . [Early 1600s]
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Return something to a normal condition, cure, as in This new salve will clear up your rash .
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.
City lawyers say the Mamdani administration followed the law and is working to clear up any confusion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
Together, those lines of evidence allowed the team to connect historical species names with the correct evolutionary lineages and clear up taxonomic confusion that had persisted for decades.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
People have successfully done this to correct billing mistakes and clear up errors, Kelmar said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
“We are confident that through ongoing discussions with LAPD, we can clear up the current misconceptions that led to today’s disappointing pause,” said the spokesperson.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
She went back to clear up her mess, talking inaudibly to her daughter all the while.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
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.
