1 A2 neutral
To clean up a spill or liquid mess by wiping with a cloth, sponge, or paper towels.
"Could you wipe up that juice before someone slips on it?"
separable
wipe up
A2 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To remove a spill or liquid by wiping it up with a cloth or paper.
In plain English
To clean up a spill or mess by using a cloth to soak it up.
What does "wipe up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
(British English) To dry washed dishes or surfaces with a cloth.
"I'll wash and you can wipe up — we'll be done in no time."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To wipe something up from a surface — fully transparent.
Actually means
To clean up a spill or mess by using a cloth to soak it up.
Usage tip
Very common in everyday domestic contexts. Often used for small spills on tables, floors, or kitchen surfaces. Can also mean to dry dishes after washing (British English). Extremely natural and frequent in spoken language.
Words that pair with "wipe up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
spill mess water milk crumbs floor
How to conjugate "wipe up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
wipe up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
wipes up
he/she/it
Past simple
wiped up
yesterday
Past participle
wiped up
have + pp
-ing form
wiping up
continuous
Hear "wipe up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "wipe up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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