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
Gardner said the department has since developed a post-fire policy and mop-up procedures after the Mountain fire.
—
Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Ware’s absence had Nikola Jovic back in the rotation mix, after he had been limited to four minutes of mop-up duty at the end of Monday night’s blowout loss to the Warriors.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2026
Drivers were encouraged to seek alternate routes as the mop-up and investigation continued on Sunday.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
Williams has served as an understudy to both Ward and Beck the last two seasons, but the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Williams has only thrown 19 passes this season in mop-up duty.
—Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
McKee, 25, has taken limited snaps in mop-up duty in three blowout victories this season.
—Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
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
Ewers, who played in one game this season, completing 5 of 8 passes for 53 yards in mop-up duty of a 31-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns, has a moxie to him that hints there might be something worthy of an investment in there.
—Miami Herald, 17 Dec. 2025
Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Ware’s absence had Nikola Jovic back in the rotation mix, after he had been limited to four minutes of mop-up duty at the end of Monday night’s blowout loss to the Warriors.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2026
Drivers were encouraged to seek alternate routes as the mop-up and investigation continued on Sunday.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
Williams has served as an understudy to both Ward and Beck the last two seasons, but the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Williams has only thrown 19 passes this season in mop-up duty.
—Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
McKee, 25, has taken limited snaps in mop-up duty in three blowout victories this season.
—Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
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
Ewers, who played in one game this season, completing 5 of 8 passes for 53 yards in mop-up duty of a 31-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns, has a moxie to him that hints there might be something worthy of an investment in there.
—Miami Herald, 17 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mop-up
Noun
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But nothing could have prepared viewers for the movie's ending, as an unfinished screenplay became the stuff of nightmares — literally and figuratively.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
8 Feb. 2026
-
For you, Valentine’s Day may mark an ending.—
Jann Blackstone,
Boston Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Jim Sawyer, a gentlemanly preacher and city council member whose public service had been winding towards a peaceful conclusion, was asked to replace him.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Detectives reached that conclusion after a seven-month investigation into what led 30-year-old Trace Michael Kinser to fatally shoot his father, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Year of the Horse begins on February 17 with the end of the Year of the Snake (an animal equally apt for Malfoy, as the symbol of Slytherin, his house at Hogwarts).—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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McConnell will retire at the end of his term in 2026.—
Lillian Metzmeier,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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His piece of genius separated the sides entering the 84th minute but during a chaotic finale, the hosts conspired to grab defeat from the jaws of victory.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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The Main Event Three teams — Team Fresh, Reality Royalty, and The Menaces — faced off in basketball, soccer penalty kicks, and a high-intensity dodgeball finale inside the famed league arena known for celebrity basketball showdowns.—
Kaitlyn Gomez,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
My mom always applies it with her fingers, but it can also be applied using a brush or makeup sponge—just make sure to use light layers and blend for a natural, crease-free finish.—
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
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Points will be distributed only for top-10 finishes and ties, compared with other tours that have smaller fields and leave out only the bottom finishers.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Is the Bahama Breeze in Jacksonville closing?—
Doris Alvarez Cea,
Florida Times-Union,
4 Feb. 2026
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The stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies in 1956, along with hockey and figure skating.—
Kevin Collier,
NBC news,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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For Morgan, her win is a culmination of an epic comeback from injury that kept her out most of the second half of 2025.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
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If Lola Heatherton anticipated every O’Hara artist character to come, the show’s matriarch, Moira Rose, represents their apex and culmination.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mop-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mop-up. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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