Stop sth up Meaning & Examples: How to Use This Phrasal Verb

What Does “Stop sth up” Mean?

“Stop sth up” means to block or close something so that nothing can pass through it. It often refers to pipes, holes, or openings that get clogged or sealed.

Introduction

The phrasal verb “stop sth up” is commonly used when talking about blocking or closing an opening, especially to prevent flow or passage. The “sth” stands for “something,” which means you can replace it with any noun, like a pipe, hole, or drain. Understanding the stop sth up meaning is helpful in daily conversations, especially when describing problems like clogged sinks or blocked roads. This verb is practical and often used in both informal and formal English. Knowing how to use “stop sth up” will improve your speaking and writing, making your language more natural and precise.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: stop something up
• Type: transitive
• Level: B1 (Intermediate)
• Short meaning: to block or close an opening

Structure (Grammar Rules)

“Stop sth up” is a separable phrasal verb. You can place the object between “stop” and “up” or after the entire phrase.

• Stop + something + up
• Stop up + something

Examples:

• She stopped the drain up with a cloth.
• He stopped up the hole with cement.

How to Use Stop sth up?

You use “stop sth up” when you want to describe blocking an opening or passage. It often appears in contexts involving pipes, drains, holes, or wounds. It can be used literally or figuratively.

• Literal: The plumber stopped up the leaking pipe.
• Figurative: His constant complaints stopped up the conversation.

Remember, “sth” is a placeholder. Replace it with the object you want to describe.

Examples

Here are some natural examples showing how to use “stop sth up in a sentence”:

• The leaves stopped up the garden drain after the storm.
• Don’t stop up the sink with too much food waste.
• She stopped up the hole in the wall with some plaster.
• The cold weather stopped up his sinuses, making it hard to breathe.

Common Mistakes

People sometimes confuse the word order or use the wrong object with “stop sth up.” Here are some examples:

• Incorrect: Stop up the sink with food waste.
• Correct: Stop the sink up with food waste.
• Incorrect: The pipe is stopped up by leaves.
• Correct: The pipe is stopped up with leaves.

Note that passive sentences often use “stopped up with” to describe what causes the blockage.

Differences / Synonyms

“Stop sth up” is similar to “block,” “clog,” and “plug up,” but with slight differences.

• Block: Can mean to prevent passage but is more general.
• Clog: Usually means to fill or block a passage with dirt or waste.
• Plug up: Means to fill a hole or opening completely, often with something solid.

“Stop sth up” emphasizes closing or sealing to prevent flow, often temporarily or intentionally.

Common Collocations

When using “stop sth up,” certain objects are commonly mentioned:

• Drain: A pipe that carries away water.
• Sink: A basin for washing.
• Hole: An opening or gap.
• Pipe: A tube for water or gas.
• Nose/sinuses: Parts of the respiratory system that can become blocked.

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of stop sth up:

• Stop By Sth

Real-life Dialogue

Here’s a short conversation using “stop sth up”:

Anna: The kitchen sink is stopped up again.

Mike: Did you try using the plunger to stop it up?

Anna: No, I think something is stuck inside the pipe.

Mike: I’ll call a plumber to stop it up properly.

Practice

Try to complete the sentence with the correct form of “stop sth up”:

• The rain caused leaves to ________ the gutter.
• Please don’t ________ the drain with grease.
• She used tape to ________ the hole in the window.

Answers: stop up, stop up, stop up

FAQ

• What does “stop sth up” mean? It means to block or close an opening so nothing can pass through.
• Can “stop sth up” be used figuratively? Yes, it can describe blocking communication or emotions.
• Is “stop sth up” separable? Yes, you can place the object between “stop” and “up” or after the phrase.
• What is the difference between “stop sth up” and “clog”? “Clog” usually means to block with dirt or waste, while “stop up” emphasizes sealing or closing.
• Can I use “stop sth up” in passive form? Yes, for example, “The drain is stopped up with leaves.”