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”

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

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

Households in India have long relied on an informal army of domestic workers to mop floors, wash dishes and cook meals.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 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

He told me to stand in place and watch as he took out all of the cleaning products and, along with cleaning the toilets and sinks, he proceeded to mop the floor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

Ira had a mop of curly red hair and was like a boy version of Little Orphan Annie.

From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm

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

Kuzin mopped his brow, and Hulthage, Bendix, Hanna and rest of the orchestra stood and bowed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 22, 2025

Portugal had risked a ropey offload in the tackle and the Glasgow centre mopped up.

From BBC ● Nov. 16, 2024

Old Timothy was still breathless himself, and mopped his brow with a handkerchief.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

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

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

From BBC ● May 4, 2026

Chinese brands began to offer more advanced navigational capabilities and extra functions such as mopping, while Roombas were slow to evolve.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 12, 2026

Southern Californians mopping up from record-breaking rains over the Christmas holiday may be in for more wet weather to usher in the new year — including a high likelihood of rain on the Rose Parade.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 27, 2025

A shadow fell across them and they looked up to see a very bleary-eyed Hagrid, mopping his sweaty face with one of his tablecloth-sized handkerchiefs and beaming down at them.

From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• dab
• swab
• wipe