housecleaning

American  

[hous-klee-ning] / ˈhaʊsˌkli nɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of cleaning a house, room, etc., and its furnishings, especially the act of cleaning thoroughly and completely.

2. the act of improving or reforming by weeding out excess or corrupt personnel or of revising methods of operation.

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Etymology

Origin of housecleaning

First recorded in 1860–65; house + cleaning

Example Sentences

This wasn’t a major housecleaning but more like a culling of online subscriptions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

But even after a new album — the band’s 12th — was released in April, concert sales lagged, leading to the cancellations and a housecleaning behind the scenes.

From New York Times • Jun. 6, 2024

Irregular labor like yard work or housecleaning is their only way of making a living.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 27, 2024

The housecleaning could delay processing the income statements because the financial team had been reshuffled, the source said, adding "with some firings, rediscovering the past gets even more complicated."

From Reuters • Jun. 22, 2023

He would ride me in a joking way in the room, criticizing my housecleaning or the way I wore my uniform.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover