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

Rioux enters his redshirt freshman season with the Gators pushing to even get on the court during mop-up time when games are decided. —Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2025

Crews continue to strengthen mop-up efforts around structures and reinforce perimeter control lines to ensure the fire remains within its current footprint. —Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025

Verb

To explore whether our gut microbes could help mop up these chemicals after entering the body, researchers at the University of Cambridge screened 38 potential candidates for their ability to soak up PFAS. —Jay Kakade july 12, New Atlas, 12 July 2025

The same principle applies to fast-food napkins: Some restaurants give you enough to mop up a whole cup of overpriced soda. —Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 10 July 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