spring-cleaning
Americannoun
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a complete cleaning of a place, as a home, done traditionally in the spring of the year.
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the activity of giving a place a complete cleaning.
We've been involved in spring-cleaning and are exhausted.
Etymology
Origin of spring-cleaning
First recorded in 1855–60
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.
Preparations for the Persian New Year begin days in advance, with people spring-cleaning their home — “shaking the house,” as the expression goes — or buying new clothes and furniture.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
For me, the answer is a spring-cleaning weekend.
From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026
“Perfect for a spring-cleaning weekend — episodes are about 20 minutes long, and so uplifting.”
From New York Times • Jul. 30, 2022
While signing up for automated bill payments and savings transfers can be part of your financial spring-cleaning, consider these strategies from financial experts.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 4, 2022
When the forest sprouted in between our houses, and the brambles grew new bright green leaves, we took to spring-cleaning the tree house and Charlie started to talk about building The Amazing Deck.
From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King
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.
