mopped up; mopping up; mops up
1
British
: to consume eagerly
2
: to gather as if by absorbing
3
: to overcome decisively : trounce
4
: to clear (an area) of remaining pockets of resistance in the wake of a military offensive
: to complete a project, transaction, or task
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
Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 30 May 2025
DeSmith hadn’t played in more than a month, his mop-up duty in Game 4 of the first round his only action since the end of the regular season.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2025
Such an action would involve destroying much of the adversary’s nuclear arsenal in a surprise attack, and mopping up whatever is left with defensive systems.
—William Hartung, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mop-up
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Noun
Operational focus will include deep mop-up, hazard tree mitigation, and preparation for potential weather shifts in the coming days.
—Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 30 May 2025
DeSmith hadn’t played in more than a month, his mop-up duty in Game 4 of the first round his only action since the end of the regular season.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Verb
Ground resources will remain at scene through the night reinforcing containment lines and mopping up.
—Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2025
Such an action would involve destroying much of the adversary’s nuclear arsenal in a surprise attack, and mopping up whatever is left with defensive systems.
—William Hartung, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mop-up
Cite this Entry
“Mop-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mop-up. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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