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.
Many of the restrictions have cropped up over the last two years. Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 20 Oct. 2025 By June 2020, more than 1,700 protests had cropped up in all 50 states, a USA TODAY analysis found. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 17 Oct. 2025 The Broncos made a slew of roster moves to address issues on special teams and injuries that cropped up while the team practiced and played in London. Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 14 Oct. 2025 Kentucky hasn't seen the flood of data center projects some other states have, but the handful of proposals that have cropped up have been met with resistance. Connor Giffin, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Oct. 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 21 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on crop up

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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