as in ending
the last part of a process or action
the general announced that the remaining fighting would be only a mop-up to a war that was all but over
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Recent Examples of mop-up
No injuries were reported, but fire crews were expected to remain at the scene through the evening for mop-up work.
—
Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 16 May 2026
Rioux played sparingly in two years with the Gators, redshirting as a true freshman during the team’s national championship season and then getting on the court in mop-up duty this past season.
—ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Vitello said that Tidwell, who threw 47 pitches in mop-up duty Tuesday, would be stretched out in a starting role at Sacramento.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2026
Kyle Hurt and Jake Eder pitched in mop-up duty in the latter innings and each threw a scoreless inning.
—Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 26 Apr. 2026
Two days later, Jacob was called into a 6-2 game in the eighth inning for what was seemingly mop-up duty.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
The five courses are available online for free and are prerequisites to obtaining a Firefighter Type II certificate, which is given to entry-level wildland firefighters who are responsible for fire suppression, fuels management and mop-up operations.
—Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2026
Lovelady made six appearances for the Mets this season in mop-up roles.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
Veteran big man Charles Bassey, who is nearing the end of his second 10-day contract with the Celtics, went 3-for-3 in mop-up duty.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 16 May 2026
Rioux played sparingly in two years with the Gators, redshirting as a true freshman during the team’s national championship season and then getting on the court in mop-up duty this past season.
—ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Vitello said that Tidwell, who threw 47 pitches in mop-up duty Tuesday, would be stretched out in a starting role at Sacramento.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2026
Kyle Hurt and Jake Eder pitched in mop-up duty in the latter innings and each threw a scoreless inning.
—Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 26 Apr. 2026
Two days later, Jacob was called into a 6-2 game in the eighth inning for what was seemingly mop-up duty.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
The five courses are available online for free and are prerequisites to obtaining a Firefighter Type II certificate, which is given to entry-level wildland firefighters who are responsible for fire suppression, fuels management and mop-up operations.
—Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2026
Lovelady made six appearances for the Mets this season in mop-up roles.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
Veteran big man Charles Bassey, who is nearing the end of his second 10-day contract with the Celtics, went 3-for-3 in mop-up duty.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mop-up
Noun
-
That, too, came with no Hollywood ending.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
-
Aaron Judge ended a career-worst 11-game streak with no RBIs by hitting a game-ending, two-run homer off Kevin Kelly in the ninth inning that lifted the New York Yankees over the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 Sunday for their first win in five games this year against their AL East rival.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Employers should examine where hiring teams may be treating decision inputs as automatic conclusions rather than one part of a broader employment analysis.—
Alonzo Martinez,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
-
The 192-page document, written by Paul Rivera, a Democratic consultant unaffiliated with the Biden and Harris campaigns, lacks key sections, including a conclusion and an executive summary.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
Baha Mar is large in stature, sure—and Rosewood is part of a three-hotel complex across the bay from Atlantis, which looms large and brooding over its own end of the water as everything Baha Mar does not want to be—dated, dark, and reminiscent of Spring Break Past.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
-
At the end of Tuesday's OTAs, the team took part in a little game in which players from the offense and defense competed at throwing medicine balls.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Andrea's fate is also up in the air after the finale.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
25 May 2026
-
The parallel stories of Kayce’s attempt to redeem his violent past and his struggle to raise his son without Monica intersect on the season finale, in which circumstances require Tate to commit his own act of violence to defend himself and his father.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Tasked with evaluating a basketball operation that cratered to a dismal 26-56 finish this season, Ujiri wasted little time making his first major executive statement.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 May 2026
-
Moore’s pair also landed in the same patent slingback lane celebrities have been working through this spring, especially in pointed shapes with a sharper, dressier finish.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Richard Lovelady was designated for assignment nine times in the last two years, including once by the Nats, and is now closing games for them.—
Spencer Nusbaum,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
-
In the movie’s closing credits, Hansen-Løve is among the names singled out for a thank you from the director.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
The project is the culmination of a five-year pilot initiative known as the HBCU History and Culture Access Consortium.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
The Breadwinner star pictures the destination as the culmination of his career, according to a Wall Street Journal profile published on May 15.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mop-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mop-up. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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