diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/unused-imports-core.yml b/changelogs/fragments/unused-imports-core.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..72c7b6d7bca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/unused-imports-core.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - Cleaned up unused imports in core.
diff --git a/lib/ansible/cli/scripts/ansible_connection_cli_stub.py b/lib/ansible/cli/scripts/ansible_connection_cli_stub.py
index 2dcc66c6b25..446f41ab21d 100755
--- a/lib/ansible/cli/scripts/ansible_connection_cli_stub.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/cli/scripts/ansible_connection_cli_stub.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
 __metaclass__ = type
 
 
-import argparse
 import fcntl
 import hashlib
 import io
diff --git a/lib/ansible/collections/list.py b/lib/ansible/collections/list.py
index 3cb509c7e7c..a867af2429f 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/collections/list.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/collections/list.py
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ __metaclass__ = type
 
 import os
 
-from collections import defaultdict
-
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleError
 from ansible.cli.galaxy import with_collection_artifacts_manager
 from ansible.galaxy.collection import find_existing_collections
diff --git a/lib/ansible/compat/importlib_resources.py b/lib/ansible/compat/importlib_resources.py
index cbd537f6903..ed104d6c5d0 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/compat/importlib_resources.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/compat/importlib_resources.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ HAS_IMPORTLIB_RESOURCES = False
 
 if sys.version_info < (3, 10):
     try:
-        from importlib_resources import files  # type: ignore[import]
+        from importlib_resources import files  # type: ignore[import]  # pylint: disable=unused-import
     except ImportError:
         files = None  # type: ignore[assignment]
     else:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/config/manager.py b/lib/ansible/config/manager.py
index e1fde1d30aa..203f7180fd8 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/config/manager.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/config/manager.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import os.path
 import sys
 import stat
 import tempfile
-import traceback
 
 from collections import namedtuple
 from collections.abc import Mapping, Sequence
diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/action_write_locks.py b/lib/ansible/executor/action_write_locks.py
index fd827440ad6..d2acae9b6ff 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/action_write_locks.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/action_write_locks.py
@@ -15,9 +15,7 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-# Make coding more python3-ish
-from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
-__metaclass__ = type
+from __future__ import annotations
 
 import multiprocessing.synchronize
 
@@ -29,7 +27,7 @@ if 'action_write_locks' not in globals():
     # Do not initialize this more than once because it seems to bash
     # the existing one.  multiprocessing must be reloading the module
     # when it forks?
-    action_write_locks = dict()  # type: dict[str | None, multiprocessing.synchronize.Lock]
+    action_write_locks: dict[str | None, multiprocessing.synchronize.Lock] = dict()
 
     # Below is a Lock for use when we weren't expecting a named module.  It gets used when an action
     # plugin invokes a module whose name does not match with the action's name.  Slightly less
diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py b/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
index 1f35031f8c1..c7a36fad264 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from ansible.playbook.task import Task
 from ansible.plugins import get_plugin_class
 from ansible.plugins.loader import become_loader, cliconf_loader, connection_loader, httpapi_loader, netconf_loader, terminal_loader
 from ansible.template import Templar
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig, AnsibleCollectionRef
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig
 from ansible.utils.listify import listify_lookup_plugin_terms
 from ansible.utils.unsafe_proxy import to_unsafe_text, wrap_var
 from ansible.vars.clean import namespace_facts, clean_facts
diff --git a/lib/ansible/galaxy/dependency_resolution/errors.py b/lib/ansible/galaxy/dependency_resolution/errors.py
index ae3b4396d70..acd885750d9 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/galaxy/dependency_resolution/errors.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/galaxy/dependency_resolution/errors.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
 __metaclass__ = type
 
 try:
-    from resolvelib.resolvers import (
+    from resolvelib.resolvers import (  # pylint: disable=unused-import
         ResolutionImpossible as CollectionDependencyResolutionImpossible,
         InconsistentCandidate as CollectionDependencyInconsistentCandidate,
     )
diff --git a/lib/ansible/parsing/ajson.py b/lib/ansible/parsing/ajson.py
index 8049755b0ab..48242271516 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/parsing/ajson.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/parsing/ajson.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ __metaclass__ = type
 import json
 
 # Imported for backwards compat
-from ansible.module_utils.common.json import AnsibleJSONEncoder
+from ansible.module_utils.common.json import AnsibleJSONEncoder  # pylint: disable=unused-import
 
 from ansible.parsing.vault import VaultLib
 from ansible.parsing.yaml.objects import AnsibleVaultEncryptedUnicode
diff --git a/lib/ansible/parsing/yaml/objects.py b/lib/ansible/parsing/yaml/objects.py
index a2e2a66baa1..40df65fa42f 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/parsing/yaml/objects.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/parsing/yaml/objects.py
@@ -19,14 +19,10 @@
 from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
 __metaclass__ = type
 
-import string
 import sys as _sys
 
 from collections.abc import Sequence
 
-import sys
-import yaml
-
 from ansible.module_utils.six import text_type
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes, to_text, to_native
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/attribute.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/attribute.py
index b28405d2430..a37910f672e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/attribute.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/attribute.py
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@
 from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
 __metaclass__ = type
 
-from copy import copy, deepcopy
-
 from ansible.utils.sentinel import Sentinel
 
 _CONTAINERS = frozenset(('list', 'dict', 'set'))
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/conditional.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/conditional.py
index fe07358cbdf..a2850e3d405 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/conditional.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/conditional.py
@@ -25,10 +25,9 @@ import re
 from jinja2.compiler import generate
 from jinja2.exceptions import UndefinedError
 
-from ansible import constants as C
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleError, AnsibleUndefinedVariable
 from ansible.module_utils.six import text_type
-from ansible.module_utils._text import to_native, to_text
+from ansible.module_utils._text import to_native
 from ansible.playbook.attribute import FieldAttribute
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/helpers.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/helpers.py
index 444f571e99b..13d3dcbeb79 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/helpers.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/helpers.py
@@ -21,9 +21,8 @@ __metaclass__ = type
 import os
 
 from ansible import constants as C
-from ansible.errors import AnsibleParserError, AnsibleUndefinedVariable, AnsibleFileNotFound, AnsibleAssertionError
+from ansible.errors import AnsibleParserError, AnsibleUndefinedVariable, AnsibleAssertionError
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_native
-from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types
 from ansible.parsing.mod_args import ModuleArgsParser
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/play_context.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/play_context.py
index 90de9293649..1235a81fb92 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/play_context.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/play_context.py
@@ -23,11 +23,9 @@ __metaclass__ = type
 
 from ansible import constants as C
 from ansible import context
-from ansible.module_utils.compat.paramiko import paramiko
 from ansible.playbook.attribute import FieldAttribute
 from ansible.playbook.base import Base
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
-from ansible.utils.ssh_functions import check_for_controlpersist
 
 
 display = Display()
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/playbook_include.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/playbook_include.py
index 03210ea37dc..3ea1d0ac1e1 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/playbook_include.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/playbook_include.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import ansible.constants as C
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleParserError, AnsibleAssertionError
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes
 from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types
-from ansible.parsing.splitter import split_args, parse_kv
+from ansible.parsing.splitter import split_args
 from ansible.parsing.yaml.objects import AnsibleBaseYAMLObject, AnsibleMapping
 from ansible.playbook.attribute import FieldAttribute
 from ansible.playbook.base import Base
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/role_include.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/role_include.py
index 23d3af039d3..efb29727fbd 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/role_include.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/role_include.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ from os.path import basename
 import ansible.constants as C
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleParserError
 from ansible.playbook.attribute import FieldAttribute
-from ansible.playbook.block import Block
 from ansible.playbook.task_include import TaskInclude
 from ansible.playbook.role import Role
 from ansible.playbook.role.include import RoleInclude
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/list.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/list.py
index 236fcc78cda..1e0433d3912 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/list.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/list.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from ansible.errors import AnsibleError
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_native, to_bytes
 from ansible.plugins import loader
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import _get_collection_path, AnsibleCollectionRef
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import _get_collection_path
 
 display = Display()
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py
index 66d9c7e5be9..eb61ec31fe4 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ from ansible.plugins import get_plugin_class, MODULE_CACHE, PATH_CACHE, PLUGIN_P
 from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig, AnsibleCollectionRef
 from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import _AnsibleCollectionFinder, _get_collection_metadata
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
-from ansible.utils.plugin_docs import add_fragments, find_plugin_docfile
+from ansible.utils.plugin_docs import add_fragments
 
 # TODO: take the packaging dep, or vendor SpecifierSet?
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/unsafe_proxy.py b/lib/ansible/utils/unsafe_proxy.py
index d78ebf6e8da..d7c07730efd 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/unsafe_proxy.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/unsafe_proxy.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ from collections.abc import Mapping, Set
 
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes, to_text
 from ansible.module_utils.common.collections import is_sequence
-from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types, binary_type, text_type
+from ansible.module_utils.six import binary_type, text_type
 from ansible.utils.native_jinja import NativeJinjaText
 
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/version.py b/lib/ansible/utils/version.py
index c045e7d1c86..e7da9fdbf69 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/version.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/version.py
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@ import re
 
 from ansible.module_utils.compat.version import LooseVersion, Version
 
-from ansible.module_utils.six import text_type
-
 
 # Regular expression taken from
 # https://semver.org/#is-there-a-suggested-regular-expression-regex-to-check-a-semver-string
diff --git a/lib/ansible/vars/clean.py b/lib/ansible/vars/clean.py
index 1de6fcfa013..c49e63ec109 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/vars/clean.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/vars/clean.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ from collections.abc import MutableMapping, MutableSequence
 from ansible import constants as C
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleError
 from ansible.module_utils import six
-from ansible.module_utils._text import to_text
 from ansible.plugins.loader import connection_loader
 from ansible.utils.display import Display