clear up

IPA/klˈiəɹ ˈʌp/
IPA/klˈɪɹ ˈʌp/

clear up — phrasal verb

  • clear upbase form
  • clears up3rd person singular
  • clearing up-ing form
  • cleared uppast simple

1. when clouds, fog, or rain in the sky go away and bright conditions return, so th

1.片語動詞不及物B1
釋義

when clouds, fog, or rain in the sky go away and bright conditions return, so the weather becomes pleasant again.

例句

The sky began to clear up after three days of heavy rain.

intransitive — no object needed

Ryo waited for the fog to clear up before driving to work.

同義詞
  • brighten up

    less formal, usually about the sky or weather becoming sunnier

  • lift

    used mainly for fog or mist rising and disappearing

反義詞
  • cloud over

    the opposite process — sky becoming covered in clouds

  • close in

    fog or bad weather moving closer and making visibility worse

文法句型

clouds/sky/weather + clear up

clear up + [weather noun]

用法筆記

Common with sky, weather, fog, clouds, mist as the subject. Frequently follows a time expression such as 'by the afternoon' or 'after the storm.'

常見錯誤

❌I cleared up the sky.
✅The sky cleared up.
💡This sense is intransitive; the weather clears up by itself, and you cannot 'clear up' the sky as a transitive action.

2. if a medical symptom, a doubt, or a confusing situation clears up, it gradually

2.片語動詞不及物B2
釋義

if a medical symptom, a doubt, or a confusing situation clears up, it gradually disappears or stops being a problem, often without needing special effort.

例句

The rash on Quan's arm cleared up after two days of treatment.

medical symptom + clear up

Once the misunderstanding cleared up, Hari and Gabriela became friends again.

misunderstanding + clear up

同義詞
  • go away

    more general and slightly less formal, can be used for symptoms or feelings

  • subside

    more formal, often describes pain, swelling, or strong emotions becoming less intense

  • pass

    common for temporary feelings such as anger, sadness, or dizziness

反義詞
  • worsen

    the opposite — a symptom becomes more serious

  • persist

    the symptom or problem continues instead of clearing up

文法句型

symptom/problem/doubt + clear up

用法筆記

The subject is usually a medical condition (rash, infection, cough), an emotional state (doubt, worry), or a social situation (misunderstanding, confusion). Less common for concrete objects — use go away or disappear instead.

常見錯誤

❌The doctor cleared up my infection.
✅The infection cleared up after the medicine.
💡This sense is intransitive; the condition clears up by itself. Use 'treat' or 'cure' if the doctor is the agent.

3. to make a room, desk, or any area clean and organized by putting objects back in

3.片語動詞及物B1
釋義

to make a room, desk, or any area clean and organized by putting objects back in their proper places or removing unwanted items.

例句

Maeve asked the children to clear up their toys before dinner.

separable: clear up [objects] / clear [objects] up

Ignacio spent the whole morning clearing up the kitchen after the party.

同義詞
  • tidy up

    British English, very similar meaning; slightly more common for indoors (room, house)

  • clean up

    more general — can include washing and scrubbing, not just putting things away

  • straighten up

    makes things neat without necessarily cleaning; often used for desk, papers, room

反義詞
  • mess up

    the opposite — to make a place untidy or dirty

文法句型

clear up + [place/things]

clear + noun phrase + up

用法筆記

Common in British English; American English prefers clean up in most contexts. The object can go between clear and up (clear the room up) or after up (clear up the room). With a pronoun object, it must go between the parts: clear it up (not clear up it).

常見錯誤

❌Can you clear up it?
✅Can you clear it up?
💡When the object is a pronoun like it or them, it must go between clear and up.
❌I cleared up my skin.' (meaning cleaned it)
✅I cleaned my skin.' or 'My skin cleared up.
💡For skin/face, use 'clean' (transitive) or 'clear up' (intransitive sense 1).

4. to provide an explanation or solution for something that was unclear, confusing,

4.片語動詞及物B2
釋義

to provide an explanation or solution for something that was unclear, confusing, or mysterious, so that it is fully understood or finally dealt with.

例句

Henry called a meeting to clear up a few misunderstandings between the teams.

collocation: clear up a misunderstanding

The detective finally cleared up the mystery of the missing necklace.

同義詞
  • resolve

    more formal; suggests a final decision or settlement rather than just clarification

  • sort out

    less formal British English; covers both practical problems and discussions

  • clarify

    focuses on making something easier to understand, not necessarily solving it

  • straighten out

    informal; similar to 'sort out' but slightly more emphatic

反義詞
  • complicate

    to make a situation or problem more difficult than it was before

  • confuse

    the opposite of clarifying — to make something harder to understand

文法句型

clear up + [problem/mystery/misunderstanding]

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 3: sense 3 is physical (tidy a place), while sense 4 is abstract (resolve a problem or clarify a matter). Often used in professional or investigative contexts.

常見錯誤

❌I need to clear up my room about the schedule.
✅I need to clear up the confusion about the schedule.
💡Mixing sense 3 (physical tidying) with sense 4 (abstract resolution). Keep the object abstract for this sense: a problem, mystery, misunderstanding, or confusion.