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

mopped up their rivals

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

I'm almost done with the project. I just need a little time to mop up.

Synonyms of mop-up

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

Throughout the season during mop-up work and in practice situations, Milton has felt confident in his abilities. —Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Dec. 2025

Kuminga was the only active Warriors player not to see any action, even in mop-up duty, when Buddy Hield entered for his first playing time since Thursday in Phoenix. —Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 23 Dec. 2025

Verb

Esteban said crews from Caltrans and the city of La Mesa were called to the scene to mop up the diesel spill. —City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2025

Mahomes was injured on the first play after the two-minute warning, and Minshew got his first non-mop up snaps this season. —Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Dec. 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