mop-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈmäp-ˌəp 

often attributive

: a concluding action or phase

mop up

2 of 2

verb

mopped up; mopping up; mops up

transitive verb

1

British : to consume eagerly

2

: to gather as if by absorbing

also : garner

mopped up all the awards

3

: to overcome decisively : trounce

4

: to clear (an area) of remaining pockets of resistance in the wake of a military offensive

intransitive verb

: to complete a project, transaction, or task

Synonyms

Noun

• ending
• conclusion
• end
• finale
• finish
• closing
• culmination

Examples of mop-up in a Sentence

Noun

the general announced that the remaining fighting would be only a mop-up to a war that was all but over

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Wilson, who has started 33 NFL games and owns a 12-21 record in those starts, played in a mop-up role against the Colts, completing 5-of-8 passes, throwing for 32 yards this season. —Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2025

Sanchez, who played eight seasons in the NFL, appeared in two games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2016 in mostly mop-up duty behind Dak Prescott while Tony Romo was sidelined with injury. —Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Oct. 2025

Verb

Sweep this deal your way before it gets mopped up! —Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 4 Oct. 2025

Firefighters are mopping up Monday after an early morning fire engulfed a railcar on Roseville Road in North Sacramento before spreading to a towing yard and knocking out power to nearby customers. —Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1900, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1811, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for mop-up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup