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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Max Ortiz, the acting mayor of Santa Rosa, predicts border disputes will keep cropping up due to the ever-changing flow of the Amazon River. John Otis, NPR, 7 Sep. 2025 Many new international schools have cropped up in the years since, drawing in Kenyan middle class parents by offering lower fees than higher-end international schools. Martin K.n Siele, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025 Even with new hotels cropping up in Chicago (seemingly by the day), the elegant Peninsula remains a fixture in the upper echelon of must-stay properties. Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025 Low rises are also cropping up outside of denim—from lace maxi skirts to leggings. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crop up

Word History

Etymology

Note: See note at crop entry 2

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crop up was in 1844

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crop up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crop%20up. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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