a new broom sweeps clean

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Also seen as: new brooms sweep clean

Meaning · English

New management will often make radical changes.

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “a new broom sweeps clean” mean?

New management will often make radical changes.

Is “a new broom sweeps clean” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.