mop

¹ American  

[mop] / mɒp /

noun

1. a bundle of coarse yarn, a sponge, or other absorbent material, fastened at the end of a stick or handle for washing floors, dishes, etc.

2. a thick mass of hair.

3. a polishing wheel having several layers of cloth secured by a boss.

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verb (used with object)

mopped, mopping

1. to rub, wipe, clean, or remove with a mop (often followed byup ).

   to mop up a spill.

2. to wipe as if with a mop.

   to mop the face with a handkerchief.

verb (used without object)

mopped, mopping

1. to clean or wipe with or as if with a mop (often followed byup ).

   First he swept, then he mopped up.

verb phrase

1. mop up

   1. Military. to clear (ground, trenches, towns, etc.) of scattered or remaining enemy combatants after attacking forces have conquered the area.

   2. Informal. to dispose of; complete; finish.

      He mopped up the rest of his business and went on a vacation.

idioms

1. mop the floor with. floor.

mop ² American  

[mop] / mɒp /

verb (used without object)

mopped, mopping

1. to make a disappointed or unhappy face; grimace.

   an unruly child that mops and mows.

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noun

1. a wry face; grimace.

mop ¹ British  

/ mɒp /

noun

1. an implement with a wooden handle and a head made of twists of cotton or a piece of synthetic sponge, used for polishing or washing floors, or washing dishes

2. something resembling this, such as a tangle of hair

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verb

1. to clean or soak up with or as if with a mop

mop ² British  

/ mɒp /

verb

1. (intr) to make a grimace or sad expression (esp in the phrase mop and mow )

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noun

1. such a face or expression

mop ³ British  

/ mɒp /

noun

1. (in various parts of England) an annual fair at which formerly servants were hired

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Etymology

Origin of mop¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; earlier map, late Middle English mappe, shortening f mappel, from Medieval Latin mappula, mappa “handtowel, cloth,” equivalent to Latin mapp(a) “napkin” + -ula -ule

Origin of mop²

First recorded in 1450–1500 for the noun, and in 1560–70 for the verb; perhaps akin to Dutch moppen “to mutter, pout”

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Explanation

A mop is a tool for cleaning a floor. Most mops have a long handle and a sponge or bundle of absorbent strings on one end. If someone says that your hair looks like a mop, that's not a compliment. When you use a mop, you mop the floor. Mops can be used dry, but more often they're dunked in a soapy bucket of water before they mop the floor. You can also "mop up" a mess or a spill, even if you're using a cloth, a sponge, or a paper towel instead of a mop. The earliest mops were used to clean ships' decks, and the word comes from the Latin mappa, "napkin."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mop mopped mopping

But he was also a mop, or a Vermeer, or a green onion, depending on whom you asked.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

By about 6 p.m., forward progress had been stopped, with crews remaining at the site to mop up, Stewart said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

I mop their famous gravy with a hunk of sourdough and hear Sancho Panza in my head and I grin.

From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026

It sold out, and Hockney began to emerge as an iconic figure with his signature bleached-blond mop, round-rimmed glasses and eye-catching sartorial style.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

The wood floors were dark and difficult to clean because the mop strings caught in splinters and cracks.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

Perhaps England could have pushed towards 290, but Axar induced Dawson into a pull to deep square, then the left-arm spinner mopped up the tail.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

At First Watch, by the end of Fermine’s shift at around 3 p.m., he will have washed hundreds of dishes, taken out the trash and mopped up the dish room.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026

Large investment firms mopped up foreclosed homes after the 2008 housing crash, placing a floor on prices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026

Together, we mopped the floors, emptied the cabinets of half-eaten bags of pasta and threw away Tupperware with missing tops.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2025

He paused for only a moment and mopped his brow, the heart within him great with fear and trembling, and with power.

From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin

The robots carried out some tasks — such as mopping, vacuuming, wiping and dusting — with surprising skill.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

Routine tasks such as mopping floors, spraying countertops, and wiping surfaces with scented products generate billions or trillions of particles, with the total depending on the product.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026

The evening had been busy for Juan too, she recalled, including cooking tacos for the children, mopping the kitchen and reading and conversing with Kevin.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026

Voting trends show the BJP mopping up more than 44% of the vote this time.

From BBC ● May 4, 2026

“Ah, that was good,” sighed Aunt Shuvai, mopping up the last of her relish with a chunk of stiff porridge.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

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