mop

1 of 2

noun

ˈmäp 

1

: an implement made of absorbent material fastened to a handle and used especially for cleaning floors

2

: something that resembles a mop

especially : a thick mass of hair

mop

2 of 2

verb

mopped; mopping

transitive verb

1

: to use a mop on

specifically : to clean or clear away by mopping

mop the floors

—often used with up

mop up the spillage

2

: to wipe as if with a mop

mopped his brow with a handkerchief

intransitive verb

: to clean a surface (such as a floor) with a mop

mopper noun

Examples of mop in a Sentence

Verb

He mopped the sweat from his brow.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Inspectors observed an employee not washing their hands with soap after handling a mop and cleaning the floor. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025

Dampen the mop with the vinegar solution and mop the floor in sections. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2025

Verb

Robot vacuums with mopping features can easily transition between mopping and regular vacuuming based on the needs assigned by the user and tend to have a comparable cost to more traditional robot vacuums. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025

This self-cleaning vacuum has two different modes, one for vacuuming and one for mopping. —Lauryn Jiles, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English mappe

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1709, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing mop

• dry mop
• dust mop
• mop up

Rhymes for mop

• bop
• chop
• cop
• crop
• drop
• flop
• fop
• hop
• knop
• lop
• op
• plop

Kids Definition

mop

1 of 2 noun

ˈmäp 

1

: a tool for cleaning made of a bundle of cloth or yarn or a sponge fastened to a handle

2

: something resembling a mop

a tangled mop of hair

mop

2 of 2 verb

mopped; mopping

: to wipe or clean with or as if with a mop

mop the floor

mopped my brow with a handkerchief