clearing up

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitive

   The -ing form of 'clear up,' meaning an illness or problem is becoming better or being solved.

   Grammar: Used after 'be' or as a noun-like activity: 'The rash is clearing up.'

   Patterns

   • is clearing up
   • was clearing up

   The infection is clearing up nicely.

   The confusion is clearing up now that we have the facts.

   Her cough is slowly clearing up.

2. 2verbintransitive

   The -ing form of 'clear up,' meaning the weather is becoming brighter and drier.

   Grammar: Often used with 'it' as the subject: 'It is clearing up.'

   Patterns

   • it is clearing up
   • the sky is clearing up

   It's clearing up, so we can go for a walk.

   The sky is clearing up after the storm.

   I think it's clearing up outside.

3. 3verbintransitive

   The -ing form of 'clear up,' meaning the act of tidying a place or putting things away.

   Grammar: No object; the person is doing the tidying.

   Patterns

   • clearing up after someone
   • spend time clearing up

   We spent the morning clearing up after the party.

   She's busy clearing up the kitchen.

   Clearing up is my least favorite chore.

Common combinations

clearing up a mess

He's clearing up a mess in the garage.

clearing up confusion

The teacher is clearing up confusion about the homework.

the weather is clearing up

The weather is clearing up, so let's go out.

clearing up after someone

I'm always clearing up after my brother.

Synonyms and how they differ

tidying

Focuses on making things neat; 'clearing up' can also mean an illness or weather improving.

resolving

More formal and often transitive: you resolve a problem, but a problem clears up.

healing

Used for wounds or injuries; 'clearing up' is more common for rashes or infections.

Word family

clear adjective

Easy to understand or see through.

clearance noun

The act of removing things or getting official permission.

clearing noun

An open space in a forest.

Commonly confused: clearing up or cleaning up?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “clearing up”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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