Meaning trap
clean up
remove corruption
To eliminate unethical, illegal, or corrupt practices from an organization, institution, or system, often as part of reform.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To eliminate unethical, illegal, or corrupt practices from an organization, institution, or system, often as part of reform.
'clean up' also has the more basic meaning 'make clean'; this is the advanced sense.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
The new government promised to clean up the police force and restore public trust.
If governments are serious about fighting corruption, they must take concrete steps to clean up their institutions and enforce transparency.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: He promised to clean up with the corruption.
Say: He promised to clean up the corruption. / ...clean up the department.
'Clean up' takes the object directly — no 'with'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Clean up' is the natural verb for rooting out corruption; 'eliminate corrupt practices' is formal.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
clean up + institution
- the sport
- politics
- its act
- the force
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- clean up (make clean) — 'clean up' also has the more basic meaning 'make clean'; this is the advanced sense.