# sweep

/ˈswip/ (US) · /swˈiːp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sweep
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to clean with a broom

verb · CEFR A2

to clean a floor or surface using a broom or brush.

For teachers: to clear or clean a surface by means of a stroking motion with a broom or brush.

- I need to sweep the kitchen floor because there is flour everywhere.
- The janitor would sweep the hallways every evening after the students had left the building.

Usage: Often used with 'up' to describe collecting the dirt into a pile.

### 2. to move in a curve

verb · CEFR B1

to move quickly or smoothly in a wide, curved shape.

For teachers: to move through a horizontal arc or similar long, continuous stroke.

- The searchlight started to sweep across the dark water looking for the boat.
- The eagle began to sweep over the valley in great circles, searching for movement in the grass below.

### 3. to win everything

verb · CEFR B2

to win every game or prize in a competition or election.

For teachers: to win a series or election without losing or drawing any individual contest.

- The team managed to sweep the three-game series against their rivals.
- Political analysts predict that the opposition party might sweep the local elections if turnout remains high.

Usage: Transitive; usually takes the competition or the series as the direct object.

### 4. to search an area

verb · CEFR B2

to search a place carefully and completely.

For teachers: to search a location methodically, often for hidden objects or people.

- The police had to sweep the building before the president arrived.
- Security teams conducted a technical sweep of the conference room to ensure no listening devices had been planted.

### 5. a wide area or curve

noun · CEFR B2 · Literary

a long, curved stretch of something, like a road or a beach.

For teachers: a wide, continuous expanse or a long, curved line of land or water.

- From the top of the hill, you can see the whole sweep of the bay.
- The grand staircase rose in a magnificent sweep toward the upper gallery of the mansion.

### 6. a person who cleans chimneys

noun · CEFR B2

a person whose job is to clean the soot out of chimneys.

For teachers: a person employed to clean soot from chimneys; often used as a shortened form of 'chimney sweep'.

- The sweep arrived with his long brushes to clean the fireplace.
- Historically, a young sweep would be sent up narrow flues to clear the dangerous accumulation of soot.

### 7. wing angle

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the angle at which an airplane's wings point backward.

For teachers: the degree to which an aircraft's wings are angled relative to the fuselage.

- The fighter jet has a variable sweep to help it fly at different speeds.
- Engineers adjusted the wing sweep to reduce drag during supersonic flight tests.

## Examples

- The team completed a clean sweep of the tournament.
- From the top of the hill, you can see the long sweep of the bay stretching toward the horizon.
- The candidate's unexpected sweep of the northern provinces shifted the political landscape, leaving the opposition with no path to a majority in the upcoming assembly.

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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.