crop up

verb

cropped up; cropping up; crops up

intransitive verb

: to come or appear when not expected

New problems crop up every day.

His name crops up frequently as a potential candidate.

Examples of crop up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While Guccio Gucci founded the brand back in 1921, the horsebit motif didn’t start cropping up until 1940, seen primarily on luggage, belts and early handbags. — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 5 Sep. 2026

The contrast inside and outside the G20 this week highlights the growing reputational problem AI is facing as data centers crop up nationwide amid growing protests. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026

When unexpected delays crop up, even presidents have to wait. — Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026

Several other instances of illness linked to the MBG program have cropped up, including a group of 15 elementary schoolers and a school principal who became nauseous and dizzy after a meal in the Aceh province’s Bener Meriah regency, per the AP. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Note: See note at crop entry 2

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for crop up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup