clean sweep: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, journalistic
Quick answer
What does “clean sweep” mean?
A complete victory or success in which one side wins everything, or the removal of all old things/personnel to make a fresh start.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A complete victory or success in which one side wins everything, or the removal of all old things/personnel to make a fresh start.
A comprehensive, thorough, and often decisive removal or victory, leaving no trace of the previous state. It implies a total, often refreshing change or conquest.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Both varieties use the idiom identically.
Connotations
Slightly more common in sports journalism in the US (e.g., 'sweep a series'), while in the UK it may be used more broadly in political and organizational contexts, though the difference is minimal.
Frequency
Common in both varieties with near-identical frequency.
Grammar
How to Use “clean sweep” in a Sentence
[Subject] made/achieved a clean sweep of [object/prizes/positions]There was a clean sweep of [old staff/equipment]The new manager vowed to make a clean sweep.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “clean sweep” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They hope to sweep the board clean in the upcoming by-elections.
American English
- The team needs to sweep clean in the final series to advance.
adjective
British English
- The clean-sweep victory was celebrated across the country.
American English
- They were hoping for a clean-sweep result on election night.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The new CEO made a clean sweep of the senior management team.
Academic
The study made a clean sweep of previous assumptions on the topic.
Everyday
We made a clean sweep of the old toys before the move.
Technical
The algorithm performed a clean sweep of redundant data entries.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clean sweep”
- Using 'clean sweep' as a verb (e.g., 'He clean swept the election' is incorrect). It's a noun phrase: 'He *made a* clean sweep *of* the election'.
- Confusing with 'sweep clean', which is a verb phrase meaning to clean by sweeping.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a noun phrase. You 'make' or 'achieve' a clean sweep. The related verb phrase is 'to sweep clean'.
'Sweep' alone can mean to win all games in a series (especially US sports). 'Clean sweep' emphasises the totality, neatness, and often the resulting fresh state. It's also used in non-sporting contexts like politics or business.
It is informal but widely acceptable in journalism, business, and everyday speech. It would be less common in very formal academic or legal writing.
Not always. For the winners, it's positive. For those being removed or defeated, it is negative. The idiom itself is neutral, describing a complete change or victory.
A complete victory or success in which one side wins everything, or the removal of all old things/personnel to make a fresh start.
Clean sweep: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkliːn ˈswiːp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌklin ˈswip/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Sweep the board”
- “Wipe the slate clean”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a janitor sweeping a floor so perfectly that not a speck of dust remains. That's a CLEAN SWEEP—a total, perfect clearing or victory.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHANGE IS CLEANING, VICTORY IS A PHYSICAL CLEARING.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'a clean sweep' be LEAST appropriate?