What does slop mean?
Slop names wet, messy food or liquid, especially the unappetizing mixture traditionally fed to pigs. It can also refer, critically and sometimes disparagingly, to writing, artwork, or other work that is careless, repetitive, or of poor quality. The phrase word slop has become particularly common for low-quality generated or mechanically produced text. As a verb, slop describes eating or spilling something messily, as in a diner who slopped soup across the table. The word is informal and often carries a negative judgment: literal slop is untidy and disagreeable, while figurative slop is badly made or intellectually weak. Its related adjective, sloppy, is especially common when describing writing, work, or physical behaviour, although it is milder than some more directly insulting terms.
Wet, messy food or liquid, especially unsuitable-looking food for animals; inferior or careless writing, work, or other material.
"After the storm, muddy slop covered the garden path."
The literal sense is informal, while the figurative sense is often strongly disparaging.
To eat or spill food or liquid messily, or to produce something in a careless and untidy manner.
"He slopped half his lunch across the table."
Informal; especially common in British English for eating or handling food messily.
Rare and uncommon; slop is normally used as an uncountable noun.
"The trough was filled with watery slops."
Pig slop is one of the few expressions where the animal gets named for what it eats.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does slop come from?
English developed both the noun and the verb from older usage associated with wet, muddy, or carelessly handled food and liquid. The word is closely related in origin and meaning to sloppy and its derivatives sloppily and sloppiness. Its later figurative sense—denoting inferior writing or other work—extended the basic idea of something carelessly or badly made.
Related word forms
How slop is actually used
The noun is informal and often contemptuous when referring to writing, artwork, or other creative work. The verb is especially common in informal British English for eating or spilling food messily.
Easily confused with slop
Slop is a messy liquid or inferior material, whereas a slump is a decline in activity, prices, or performance.
Slop is untidy or poorly made, while a slip is a minor mistake or a small accidental loss of control.