plumped; plumping; plumps
1
: to drop, sink, or come in contact suddenly or heavily
plumped down in the chair
2
: to favor or decide in favor of someone or something strongly or emphatically
—used with for
1
: to drop, cast, or place suddenly or heavily
2
: to give support and favorable publicity to
: a sudden plunge, fall, or blow
also
: the sound made by a plump
1
: with a sudden or heavy drop
2
a
: straight down
b
: straight ahead
3
: without qualification : directly
plump out of luck
plumped; plumping; plumps
: to make plump
: to become plump
Synonyms
Verb (1)
Noun (1)
- bang
- bash
- bat
- beat
- belt
- biff
- blow
- bop
- box
- buffet
- bust
- chop
- clap
- clip
- clout
- crack
- cuff
- dab
- douse [British]
- fillip
- hack
- haymaker
- hit
- hook
- knock
- larrup [dialect]
- lash
- lick
- pelt
- pick
- poke
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slap
- slug
- smack
- smash
- sock
- spank
- stinger
- stripe
- stroke
- swat
- swipe
- switch
- thud
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- welt
- whack
- wham
- whop
- whap
Adverb
Adjective
Examples of plump in a Sentence
Adverb
there was a squirrel on the sidewalk plump in front of us
Adjective
His aunt pinched his plump cheeks.
she's been plump all her life, and her sister has always been skinny
Recent Examples on the Web
Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 21 Nov. 2023
Unlike plumping agents like Juvederm or Restylane Kysse, which last for six months or longer, the agents used in a lip flip typically last eight weeks.
—Ana Escalante, Glamour, 6 Nov. 2023
Face Gym Multi-Sculpt High-Performance Gua Sha A stainless-steel tool with six different edges to plump, lift, and assist with lymphatic drainage, this one works like a charm to bring out the cheekbones.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2023
Meanwhile, the gloss includes collagen-stimulating, filling sphere technology in a range of shades– from Blackberry to Clementine– which plump your lips over time.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 23 Oct. 2023
How Do Pumpkins Become Giant? To grow a giant pumpkin, competitors experiment with various methods to plump up their fruits.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 23 Oct. 2023
This essence is made to soften and plump your skin, giving baby's bottom status.
—Shanna Shipin, Glamour, 19 Oct. 2023
In addition to getting a boost in elasticity, the skin is also blanketed in plumping hyaluronic acid, an important anti-aging ingredient that also helps lock in moisture.
—Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2023
Treat this roundup as the first 28 items on your wish list of innovative, effective, and gentle products that will seriously plump and brighten your complexion.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 26 Oct. 2023
Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 21 Nov. 2023
This hydrating, color-changing formula moisturizes and visibly plumps, offering a luxurious shine at a budget-friendly price.
Find it on AmazonFind it on Walmart
Refresh Your Hair Instantly With This Dry Shampoo
Keep your hair looking fresh with the convenient travel-sized dry shampoo powder.
—Kathy Barr, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023
Perfect for sensitive skin, the lightweight formula hydrates and plumps without any irritation.
—Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 Feb. 2023
Collagen plumps and firms the skin, while vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, protecting against free radicals that cause damage and accelerate the aging process.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2023
Packed with peptides, this eye serum plumps and hydrates the under-eyes at a very reasonable price.
—Tatjana Freund, elle.com, 1 June 2023
The result: a plump—not puffy—undereye area.
—Sophie Wirt, Allure, 3 Aug. 2021
In addition, the hyaluronic acid and snow mushroom plump maximize hydration by pulling moisture into the skin while repairing the skin barrier.
—Shani Hillian, ELLE, 9 Mar. 2023
The journey begins with The Daily Moisturizer — a lightweight cream that instantly smooths, plumps and hydrates skin — and Davlyn’s just getting started.
—Natalie Alcala, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2023
G. Daniela Galarza, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
The Koreatown restaurant is known for making king mandu as big as softballs, plump with pork and various vegetables and glass noodles.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2023
All of these innovative, effective, and gentle products will surely upgrade your skin-care routine and plump and brighten your complexion for an undeniable glow.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 11 Oct. 2023
The natural approach was on display one morning as harvesters slowly inched down the rows of vines, clipping plump purple clusters of Grenache grapes by hand.
—Patricia Cohen Violette Franchi, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2023
In its current form, the genre’s plump rolodex of titles is endless and endlessly rewarding.
—WIRED, 29 Oct. 2023
There are many different types of crowders, such as Calico and Blue Goose, but all of them become plump and creamy when cooked.
—Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2023
His original and plump creations attracted the attention of art critics and, by then, the painter had created hundreds of drawings as well as some 1,000 paintings.
—Manuel Rueda The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2023
The plump bird provides enough meat for up to 18 servings.
—Bridget Degnan, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2023
See More
Verb
It's spiked with a grand total of 72 ingredients meant to plump, firm, and hydrate, including call-outs like antioxidant-rich sea buckthorn oil, moisture-replenishing jojoba oil, and dullness-defying algae extract.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 21 Nov. 2023
Unlike plumping agents like Juvederm or Restylane Kysse, which last for six months or longer, the agents used in a lip flip typically last eight weeks.
—Ana Escalante, Glamour, 6 Nov. 2023
Face Gym Multi-Sculpt High-Performance Gua Sha A stainless-steel tool with six different edges to plump, lift, and assist with lymphatic drainage, this one works like a charm to bring out the cheekbones.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2023
Meanwhile, the gloss includes collagen-stimulating, filling sphere technology in a range of shades– from Blackberry to Clementine– which plump your lips over time.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 23 Oct. 2023
How Do Pumpkins Become Giant? To grow a giant pumpkin, competitors experiment with various methods to plump up their fruits.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 23 Oct. 2023
This essence is made to soften and plump your skin, giving baby's bottom status.
—Shanna Shipin, Glamour, 19 Oct. 2023
In addition to getting a boost in elasticity, the skin is also blanketed in plumping hyaluronic acid, an important anti-aging ingredient that also helps lock in moisture.
—Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2023
Treat this roundup as the first 28 items on your wish list of innovative, effective, and gentle products that will seriously plump and brighten your complexion.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 26 Oct. 2023
Noun
Meanwhile, aloe vera and sunflower seed oil plumps and conditions skin.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 21 Nov. 2023
This hydrating, color-changing formula moisturizes and visibly plumps, offering a luxurious shine at a budget-friendly price.
Find it on AmazonFind it on Walmart
Refresh Your Hair Instantly With This Dry Shampoo
Keep your hair looking fresh with the convenient travel-sized dry shampoo powder.
—Kathy Barr, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023
Perfect for sensitive skin, the lightweight formula hydrates and plumps without any irritation.
—Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 Feb. 2023
Collagen plumps and firms the skin, while vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, protecting against free radicals that cause damage and accelerate the aging process.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2023
Packed with peptides, this eye serum plumps and hydrates the under-eyes at a very reasonable price.
—Tatjana Freund, elle.com, 1 June 2023
The result: a plump—not puffy—undereye area.
—Sophie Wirt, Allure, 3 Aug. 2021
In addition, the hyaluronic acid and snow mushroom plump maximize hydration by pulling moisture into the skin while repairing the skin barrier.
—Shani Hillian, ELLE, 9 Mar. 2023
The journey begins with The Daily Moisturizer — a lightweight cream that instantly smooths, plumps and hydrates skin — and Davlyn’s just getting started.
—Natalie Alcala, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2023
Adjective
But its romantic shape — a graceful or bulbous gooseneck ending in a pert stem, like an upturned nose, a plump and curvaceous bottom, heavy and steady and often blushed — is bested only by its complex taste.
—G. Daniela Galarza, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
The Koreatown restaurant is known for making king mandu as big as softballs, plump with pork and various vegetables and glass noodles.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2023
All of these innovative, effective, and gentle products will surely upgrade your skin-care routine and plump and brighten your complexion for an undeniable glow.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 11 Oct. 2023
The natural approach was on display one morning as harvesters slowly inched down the rows of vines, clipping plump purple clusters of Grenache grapes by hand.
—Patricia Cohen Violette Franchi, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2023
In its current form, the genre’s plump rolodex of titles is endless and endlessly rewarding.
—WIRED, 29 Oct. 2023
There are many different types of crowders, such as Calico and Blue Goose, but all of them become plump and creamy when cooked.
—Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2023
His original and plump creations attracted the attention of art critics and, by then, the painter had created hundreds of drawings as well as some 1,000 paintings.
—Manuel Rueda The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2023
The plump bird provides enough meat for up to 18 servings.
—Bridget Degnan, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plump.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)
Middle English
Noun (2)
Middle English plumpe
Adjective and Verb (2)
Middle English, dull, blunt, from Middle Dutch plomp
First Known Use
Verb (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun (1)
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Adverb
1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb (2)
1533, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Adjective
1569, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of plump was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing plump
Articles Related to plump
Dictionary Entries Near plump
Cite this Entry
“Plump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plump. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
plump
1 of 5 verb1
: to drop, sink, or come in contact suddenly or heavily
plumped down in the chair
2
: to support someone or something strongly
—used with for
plump for a candidate
plump
2 of 5 noun
: a sudden plunge, fall, or blow
plump
3 of 5 adverb1
: with a sudden or heavy drop
2
: directly entry 1 sense 1
ran plump into the wall
plump
4 of 5 verb
: to make or become plump
plump up a pillow
Etymology
Verb
Middle English plumpen "to drop or sink heavily"
Verb
plump (adjective) "rounded, chubby," from Middle English plump "dull, blunt"
More from Merriam-Webster on plump
Nglish: Translation of plump for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of plump for Arabic Speakers
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