How to pronounce mop
Say it like MOP. Mop is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce mop. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MOP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Mop pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MOPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of mop
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: MOP.
What does mop mean?
- To rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop.“to mop (or scrub) a floor”
- To shoplift.
- An implement for washing floors or similar, made of a piece of cloth, or a collection of thrums, or coarse yarn, fastened to a handle.
- A wash with a mop; the act of mopping.“He gave the floor a quick mop to soak up the spilt juice.”
- A dense head of hair.“He ran a comb through his mop and hurried out the door.”
- A made-up face; a grimace.
Where does mop come from?
From Middle English mappe (also as mappel), perhaps borrowed from Walloon mappe (“napkin”), from Latin mappa (“napkin, cloth”).
Words that rhyme with mop
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of mop.
Questions about saying mop
How do you pronounce mop?
Say MOP. The American pronunciation is /mɑp/. In British English it is /mɒp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in mop?
Mop is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: MOP.
Is mop pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /mɒp/ (MOP).