mop-up

1 of 2

noun

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
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 In typical fashion, Trump’s team spent the weekend on mop-up, issuing clarifications and corrections. Patricia Lopez, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 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 See All Example Sentences for mop-up

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1900, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1811, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mop-up was circa 1811

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Mop-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mop-up. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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