clean out
B2Informal (primary verb senses). Can be formal in specific business contexts (e.g., "clean out corruption").
Definition
Meaning
To remove all the contents from a space or container, typically to tidy, empty, or prepare it.
To deplete completely, especially of money or resources; to steal everything from; to remove unwanted people or elements from an organization.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Functions as a transitive phrasal verb, separable (e.g., "clean the garage out" or "clean out the garage"). Implies a thorough, comprehensive, and often final removal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. In US English, 'clean out' is slightly more prevalent for financial depletion ("That car repair cleaned me out"). UK may marginally prefer 'clear out' for physical tidying, but 'clean out' is fully standard.
Connotations
Identical connotations of thoroughness and completion.
Frequency
High and roughly equal frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] + clean out + [Direct Object] (e.g., I cleaned out the shed.)[Subject] + get + cleaned out (Passive/Causative) (e.g., We got cleaned out at poker.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “clean someone out (financially)”
- “clean house (figurative, similar organisational sense)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The new CEO plans to clean out the inefficient middle management."
Academic
Rare in formal writing; may appear in historical/sociological texts: "The scandal led to a cleaning out of corrupt officials."
Everyday
"I need to clean out my wardrobe before the summer."
Technical
Used in computing: "The script will clean out temporary files."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We should clean out the shed this weekend.
- The poker game cleaned him out completely.
- They're cleaning out the old filing cabinets.
American English
- I need to clean out the garage before winter.
- The medical bills cleaned out our savings.
- The coach cleaned out the locker room after the loss.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not applicable as an adjective.
American English
- Not applicable as an adjective.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I clean out my bag every Friday.
- Please clean out the cupboard.
- We cleaned out the attic and found old toys.
- The shop was cleaned out during the sale.
- The investigation aims to clean out corrupt practices from the department.
- After paying the tuition fees, I'm completely cleaned out.
- The hostile takeover was followed by a ruthless cleaning out of the existing board.
- Speculative investments cleaned out countless pension funds during the crisis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a dirty SPONGE (CLEAN) being squeezed until all the water comes OUT. The action is thorough and leaves the sponge empty.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINERS ARE BODIES (cleaning out a room like purging a body); MONEY/ RESOURCES ARE CONTENTS (being cleaned out is being emptied of valuable contents).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque with 'чистить наружу'. Use 'вычистить' (to clean thoroughly) or 'опустошить' (to empty).
- For financial sense, 'очистить (кого-то) до нитки' is idiomatic.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'clean up' instead of 'clean out' ('clean up' implies general tidying; 'clean out' implies removal of contents).
- Incorrect particle order: 'I cleaned the out garage' (must be 'cleaned out the garage' or 'cleaned the garage out').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'clean out' used CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Clean out' focuses on removing the contents from inside something (a closet, an account). 'Clean up' focuses on making a general area neat and tidy (a room, a spill).
Yes, when referring to positive organisation or removal of bad elements. e.g., 'Cleaning out the old files felt very satisfying' or 'cleaning out corruption'.
Yes. You can say 'clean out the drawer' or 'clean the drawer out'. However, with pronouns, you must separate: 'clean it out' (not 'clean out it').
Yes, saying 'The vacation cleaned me out' is informal. More formal equivalents are 'depleted my funds' or 'exhausted my savings'.