clear up

British  

verb

1. (tr) to explain or solve (a mystery, misunderstanding, etc)

2. to put (a place or thing that is disordered) in order

3. (intr) (of the weather) to become brighter

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noun

1. the act or an instance of clearing up

clear up Idioms  

1. Clarify, explain, solve, as in Let's try to clear up this misunderstanding . [Late 1600s]

2. Become clear, as in After the storm, it cleared up very quickly . [Early 1600s]

3. Return something to a normal condition, cure, as in This new salve will clear up your rash .

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Example Sentences

He predicted it would clear up this year.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

However, it’s common for an infection to clear up on its own and treatment is mostly geared toward soothing symptoms, according to the American Lung Assn.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026

Netflix agreed to allow Warner to discuss Paramount’s latest proposal during a seven-day negotiating period ending on Feb. 23, saying it would clear up the situation once and for all.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 28, 2026

Under its deal with the council, it is the responsibility of Voi, the e-scooter operator, to clear up badly parked vehicles in Oxford.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

Ever since Apa had to go four times to clear up some mistake with Joon’s Social Security number, he has become paranoid that people are trying to trick him.

From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na

Related Words

• clarify
• illustrate
• resolve
• solve
• straighten out
• unravel