Wipe/mop the floor with somebody
verb
To overpower or defeat someone completely in an argument or a competition.
He's so smart, he'll mop the floor with his opponents in the debate.
Often appears as...
- mop the floor with opponents
- wipe the floor with competition
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
Colloquial, Idiomatic
verb
To overpower or defeat someone completely in an argument or a competition.
He's so smart, he'll mop the floor with his opponents in the debate.
Often appears as...
- mop the floor with opponents
- wipe the floor with competition
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
Colloquial, Idiomatic
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Figurative Meaning
This phrase doesn't involve literal cleaning, but rather beating someone in competition.
During the chess tournament, Maya just wiped the floor with every challenger.
Pro Tip 2/3Informal Usage
It's a casual expression, not suitable for formal or serious contexts.
At the office party's trivia game, our manager mopped the floor with us!
Pro Tip 3/3Humorous Tone
Often used jokingly to describe an effortless victory or to tease friends.
You think you can beat me at ping-pong? I'll mop the floor with you!
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