Word
cleanup
US/ˈkɫiˌnəp/
UK/klˈiːnʌp/
Definitions
01cleaning or tidying
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the act of cleaning a place or making it tidy after it has been used or made messy.
n. the act or process of cleaning or tidying a specific area, often following an event or period of neglect.
“The community organized a weekend cleanup of the local park to remove all the litter.”
“After the festival concluded, the organizers faced a massive cleanup operation that required dozens of volunteers and several days of work.”
Usage
Usually written as one word or hyphenated when used as a noun; the verb form is always two words.
Pitfall
I need to cleanup my room.
I need to clean up my room.
Use the two-word phrasal verb 'clean up' for the action; use the one-word 'cleanup' only as a noun.
02removing pollution or problems
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a large project to remove dangerous waste from the environment or to stop dishonest behavior in a group.
n. an extensive operation to remove pollutants from the environment or to eliminate corruption and inefficiency within an organization.
“The government promised a major cleanup of the river after the chemical spill.”
“The new CEO initiated a thorough cleanup of the company's accounting practices to restore investor confidence.”
Teaching tip
This sense is frequently used in political and environmental contexts to describe systemic reform.
Synonyms
03baseball batting order
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Sports American English · Technical
n. the fourth person to hit the ball in a baseball game, usually a very strong player.
n. the fourth position in the batting order, typically reserved for a power hitter expected to 'clean' the bases by driving in runners.
“He was nervous about batting cleanup in such an important game.”
“The manager decided to move the star outfielder into the cleanup spot to maximize the team's scoring potential.”
Usage
Often used as an attributive noun in the phrase 'cleanup hitter'.
Teaching tip
This is a specialized term mostly used in North American baseball contexts.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“After 9/11, thousands of rescue and cleanup crews went to work at ground zero.” “Murakami recalled being put to work on cleanup duty.” Etymology
A deverbal from clean up.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Pre-1
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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