# sweep out

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sweep-out
Updated: 2026-10-23

## Definition

to clean a room or a space by using a brush to push dirt and dust out of it.

For teachers: to clean the interior of a space by using a broom to move debris toward the exit or into a dustpan. Transitive and separable.

## Examples

- Please sweep out the garage before you leave.
- After the party finished, we had to sweep out all the confetti from the living room.
- The caretaker meticulously swept out the ancient stone chapel, ensuring that every grain of sand was removed from the crevices of the floor.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I swept out of the kitchen." but "I swept out the kitchen." — The preposition 'of' is not used after 'sweep out' when identifying the room being cleaned.

## Usage notes

- The object can be the space being cleaned or the dirt being removed.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'sweep up', which focuses on gathering dirt into a pile, whereas 'sweep out' emphasizes removing it from a specific area.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.