mop up
mop up — phrasal verb
- mop upbase form
- mops up3rd person singular
- mopping up-ing form
- mopped uppast simple
1. to press a cloth, sponge, or mop against a wet area so the liquid gets taken int
to press a cloth, sponge, or mop against a wet area so the liquid gets taken into the material
Ari grabbed a cloth and mopped up the milk she had knocked over onto the kitchen floor.
mop up + object [liquid] from [surface]
The janitor spent twenty minutes mopping up the water that flooded the hallway after the pipe burst.
mop up + [surface]
After the rain stopped, we used towels to mop up the puddles on the balcony.
Do you have a sponge I can borrow to mop up this spilled juice before it stains the carpet?
question form: mop up + object
Vikram kept a bucket of soapy water nearby and mopped up any drips as he painted the ceiling.
- mop up the spill
- mop up water
- mop up the floor
- mop up with a cloth
- mop up after [someone/thing]
- spill
the opposite action — liquid goes onto the surface instead of being removed
Grammar Patterns
mop up + noun phrase
mop up [liquid] from [surface]
mop up [surface]
Usage Note
Object is typically a liquid (water, milk, juice, oil) or a surface (floor, counter). Can be used transitively ('mop up the spill') or intransitively with a place as implied object ('I need to mop up before the guests arrive').
Common Mistakes
2. to complete the final parts of a piece of work or a process that is almost finis
to complete the final parts of a piece of work or a process that is almost finished
William stayed late at the office to mop up the last few paperwork items before the deadline.
mop up + noun phrase [remaining work]
The construction team mopped up the final details — installing light switches and touching up paint — before handing over the building.
After the main filming wrapped, the crew spent a week mopping up some extra scenes and voice recordings.
mop up [remaining tasks] in creative/production context
Tunde asked his assistant to mop up a few minor issues while he prepared the final proposal.
- mop up the details
- mop up loose ends
- mop up remaining work
- mop up the last few items
- tie up
similar meaning but broader — can include administrative, logistical, or relational loose ends
- finish off
slightly more informal, often implies completing the last stage with effort
- wrap up
informal, often used for meetings, events, or projects
Grammar Patterns
mop up + noun phrase [task/work/details]
Usage Note
Object is usually a type of unfinished work or remaining task ('details', 'issues', 'items', 'loose ends'). The implication is that most of the work is already done — this sense refers to the finishing touches.
Common Mistakes
3. to consume or make use of the remaining portion of something, especially food, d
to consume or make use of the remaining portion of something, especially food, drink, or supplies
Dahlia mopped up the last of the curry sauce on her plate with a piece of warm bread.
mop up [food] with [bread] — eating leftover sauce
The buffet attracted many guests who quickly mopped up all the samosas and spring rolls.
Before closing the shop, Eitan mopped up the remaining stock by offering a twenty-percent discount.
mop up remaining [supplies/inventory]
The children eagerly mopped up every drop of hot chocolate before heading out to play in the snow.
- mop up the sauce
- mop up the gravy
- mop up the last of
- mop up the remaining stock
- finish up
more general — can apply to any consumable, not just leftovers
- polish off
informal, suggests eating or drinking the last of something with enthusiasm
- clean up
can mean finishing food in some contexts, but also has many other meanings
Grammar Patterns
mop up + noun phrase [food/drink/supplies]
Usage Note
This sense often appears in food contexts (using bread to absorb sauce from a plate) or in commercial contexts (clearing remaining inventory). It carries a sense of thoroughness — nothing is left behind.
4. to destroy, capture, or clear out the last remaining enemy forces or resistance
to destroy, capture, or clear out the last remaining enemy forces or resistance in a specific area after the main battle is over
After the main assault, two platoons were sent to mop up the remaining snipers hiding in the surrounding buildings.
The soldiers spent the morning mopping up pockets of resistance scattered through the outskirts of the town.
mop up + pockets of [resistance/enemy forces]
Nkechi reported that the army was now focused on mopping up the last insurgent cells in the north.
mop up + [cells/groups/pockets] of opposition
The commander ordered a final sweep to mop up any fighters still holding out in the industrial zone.
- mop up resistance
- mop up the enemy
- mop up remaining forces
- mop up pockets of opposition
Grammar Patterns
mop up + noun phrase [enemy/troops/resistance]
Usage Note
Primarily used in military or law-enforcement contexts. The area being cleared is usually implied or stated with a prepositional phrase ('in the valley', 'from the village'). In modern usage, can also appear in video-game contexts where players 'mop up' remaining enemies.
5. to take something into a larger group, company, or system so that it becomes par
to take something into a larger group, company, or system so that it becomes part of the whole and is no longer separate
Over the decade, the retail giant mopped up three smaller competitors in the local grocery market.
mop up [smaller companies] — business acquisition context
Folake watched as the rising development slowly mopped up all the farmland around her childhood village.
The new streaming platform mopped up millions of subscribers from older television networks within its first year.
mop up [customers/subscribers] from [source]
Small independent bookshops worried that the chain would mop up their loyal customer base with its lower prices.
- mop up competitors
- mop up smaller companies
- mop up the market
- mop up customers
- absorb
the closest synonym, used in both business and physical contexts; less informal
- swallow up
more informal and vivid, suggesting that the smaller entity disappears completely
- consolidate
formal business term, often implies deliberate strategic merging of resources
- spin off
the opposite — a larger entity creates a smaller separate unit
Grammar Patterns
mop up + noun phrase + into [larger entity]
be mopped up by [larger entity]
Usage Note
Frequently used in business and economics for acquisitions or market consolidation. The image is of a larger force absorbing smaller elements until they disappear into the whole. Often carries a slightly negative connotation of loss or homogenisation.