mopped up; mopping up; mops up
1
British
: to consume eagerly
2
: to gather as if by absorbing
3
: to overcome decisively : trounce
4
: to clear (an area) of remaining pockets of resistance in the wake of a military offensive
: to complete a project, transaction, or task
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
Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2025
In for what proved to be only 2:07 of mop-up duty in Indiana’s rout, Johnson received a technical foul with 57.3 seconds to play amid an altercation and was ejected.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 21 June 2025
Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2025
The fire is under control and crews are working on ventilation and mopping up the scene, fire officials said.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mop-up
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Noun
Firefighters remain on scene conducting heavy mop-up operations.
—Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2025
In for what proved to be only 2:07 of mop-up duty in Indiana’s rout, Johnson received a technical foul with 57.3 seconds to play amid an altercation and was ejected.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 21 June 2025
Verb
Firefighters have positioned a dozer and hand line around the fire perimeter, and are planning to work through the day to identify and mop up hot spots, according to the Ventura County Fire Department public information officer.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2025
The fire is under control and crews are working on ventilation and mopping up the scene, fire officials said.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mop-up
Cite this Entry
“Mop-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mop-up. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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