plumped; plumping; plumps
: to make plump
—often used with up
plump up a pillow
: to become plump
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
plumping for the incumbent
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
Examples of plump in a Sentence
Adjective
His aunt pinched his plump cheeks.
she's been plump all her life, and her sister has always been skinny
Verb (2)
plumped herself down on the couch and turned on the TV
Noun (1)
angrily gave a plump of his fist against the door
Adverb
there was a squirrel on the sidewalk plump in front of us
Recent Examples on the Web
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The amount of sugar is scaled back, but there's plenty of sweetness from plump raisins and a dusting of powdered sugar.
—Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2026
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
Recharge Gel Cream is an ultra-hydrating gel cream moisturizer with a waterburst texture that instantly refreshes and visibly plumps, smooths, and improves radiance, clinically proven to prevent water loss and boost skin barrier.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 21 Apr. 2026
This $25 anti-aging formula plumps, firms, and tightens dull, crepey skin.
—Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for plump
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.
Adjective
Our room had a cosy living area with a plump sofa, desk and coffee-station-slash-mini-bar, which abuts a welcome space to spread out during our stay.
—CondĂ© Nast, CondĂ© Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The amount of sugar is scaled back, but there's plenty of sweetness from plump raisins and a dusting of powdered sugar.
—Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
These help temporarily plump the skin and smooth texture by drawing water to the skin’s surface, making fine lines appear less visible within minutes of application.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
Recharge Gel Cream is an ultra-hydrating gel cream moisturizer with a waterburst texture that instantly refreshes and visibly plumps, smooths, and improves radiance, clinically proven to prevent water loss and boost skin barrier.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
The formula also features sodium hyaluronate to draw in moisture and keep skin looking plump, along with botanical extracts like lotus, gardenia, and white waterlily to help soothe and boost radiance.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 21 Apr. 2026
This $25 anti-aging formula plumps, firms, and tightens dull, crepey skin.
—Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for plump
Cite this Entry
“Plump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plump. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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"
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
