wash up

verb

washed up; washing up; washes up

intransitive verb

1

: to be deposited by or as if by a swell of waves

seaweed washed up on the shore

2

: to wash one's face and hands

3

British : to wash the dishes after a meal

transitive verb

1

: to get rid of by washing

wash up the spilled milk

2

: exhaust, finish

Examples of wash up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At a fancy wedding shindig one night, Rick shares the stage with Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former boy bander on the verge of being officially washed up. —Adam Graham, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026

As a substitute, the district had hired a renegade hippie, Bromley Stokes, who’d recently washed up in town. —Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

Then, the male is washed up and fertilizes the eggs. —Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 1 June 2026

Both Blue Origin and Space Force officials are instructing the public to report any debris that may wash up on nearby shores. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 29 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for wash up

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

Kids Definition

wash up

verb

1

: to wash one's face and hands

2

: to bring to an end the force or value of

a scandal would wash you up as a sports hero

3

: to be deposited by or as if by waves

seaweed washed up on the shore