clean sweep
Americannoun
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an overwhelming or decisive victory, as by a political candidate who wins in all or almost all election districts.
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the winning of all the prizes, rounds, contests, etc., in a competition or of all the games in a series.
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a thorough or sweeping change, especially one effected by the large-scale removal or elimination of unwanted persons or things.
The new president made a clean sweep when he joined the company, replacing all the department heads.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"We love the women's team and the women's team loved us, and we're so proud that we had a clean sweep of gold medals."
From BBC
He backed that up with another 106 average in a 6-0 clean sweep against current league leader Jonny Clayton in the semi-finals, before a clinical 6-2 win over Van Veen in the final.
From BBC
Germany were close to earning a clean sweep on the podium - their second of the week after doing so in the two-man event - but Switzerland swept in to take a surprise bronze.
From BBC
China's defending champion Gu, who came to Italy seeking a clean sweep of three golds in her events, has so far failed to top the podium, winning silver medals in slopestyle and big air.
From Barron's
Gu arrived at the Games targeting a clean sweep of golds in her three events after winning two golds and a silver at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, where she was the host nation's darling.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
