popped; popping; pops
1
: to strike or knock sharply : hit
popped him in the jaw
2
: to push, put, or thrust suddenly or briefly
pops a grape into his mouth
She popped her head in the door.
Pop the pastry in the oven for ten minutes.
3
: to cause to explode or burst open
popped some popcorn
pop the trunk
4
: to fire at : shoot
5
: to take (pills) especially frequently or habitually
6
: to open with a pop
pop a cold beer
7
: to flip (something) into an upturned position
pop a collar
1
a
: to go, come, or appear suddenly
images popping up on the screen
New businesses are popping up all over town.
((figurative)) We were discussing candidates for the job, and your name popped up.
She popped in for a visit.
We're going to pop next door for a minute.
The idea just popped into my head.
The chipmunk popped out of its burrow.
: to move suddenly from one position or state to another
Her eyes popped open.
When I heard the siren, I popped straight up in bed.
b
: to escape or break away from something (such as a point of attachment) usually suddenly or unexpectedly
The lid keeps popping off of the container.
A couple of screws popped loose.
The instant I felt the front tires lurch forward, I applied some throttle and the truck popped free.—
Slaton L. White
Slaton L. White
c
: to be or become striking or prominent
colors that pop
… a mild sauce punctuated with tiny dried shrimp that pop with salinity.—John Kessler
John Kessler2
: to make or burst with a sharp sound
a balloon popped
3
: to protrude or seem to protrude from the sockets : to open very wide
eyes popping with amazement
4
: to shoot with a firearm
5
: to hit a pop fly
—often used with up or out
1
: a sharp explosive sound
2
: a shot from a gun
3
: soda pop
4
: pop fly
5
: power to hit a baseball hard
a hitter with some pop in his bat
6
: a drink or shot of alcohol
7
: a small portion of something that makes a vivid impression
… clean lines … set off by bright pops of color …—Catherine Piercy
Catherine Piercy1
: popular
pop music
: such as
a
: of or relating to popular music
pop singer
b
: of or relating to the popular culture disseminated through the mass media
pop psychology
pop grammarians
pop society
2
a
: of or relating to pop art
pop painter
b
: having, using, or imitating themes or techniques characteristic of pop art
pop movie
1
a
: popular music
b
pops plural
: an orchestra that plays light classical and popular music
went to hear the Boston Pops
also
: light classical and popular music played typically by an orchestra
a summer pops concert
2
: pop art
3
: pop culture
population
point of purchase
Synonyms
Verb
Noun (1)
Noun (2)
Adjective
Example Sentences
Verb
We heard the sound of corks popping as the celebration began.
One of the buttons popped off my sweater.
Guns were popping in the distance.
We popped some popcorn in the microwave.
The popcorn is done popping.
I didn't mean to say that—it just popped out.
Her shoulder popped out of its socket.
He opened the box, and out popped a mouse.
If you are busy, I can pop back in later.
My neighbor popped in for a visit.
Adjective
interested in the pop fiction that most of the other publishing houses happily churned out
See More
Recent Examples on the WebMarisa Gerber, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2023
Think of the customer service chat windows that pop up on some websites.
—David Ingram, NBC News, 16 May 2023
The smell of smoke told us breakfast was ruined before two pieces of bread popped up, with a cooked lizard attached.
—Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, 13 May 2023
Make the message pop by adding it to the front of a pink or coral greeting card.
—Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 May 2023
By 2016, another pair of gold mining claims - one from Crevice and another from a company called Lucky Minerals - popped up near the park, prompting another wave of opposition.
—Dino Grandoni, Anchorage Daily News, 12 May 2023
Ava relishes the opportunity to step in for her dad to catch Aubrey, donning elbow guards on her knees and willing to play through any blisters and popped blood vessels.
—Brian Haenchen, The Indianapolis Star, 12 May 2023
Favored among celebrities such as Rihanna, Chrissy Teigen and Simon Cowell, the intravenous treatments have become more prevalent than ever before with boutique clinics and mobile options popping up across the country.
—L'oreal Thompson Payton, Fortune Well, 6 May 2023
Travelers short on time can pop into the Ben Reifel Visitor Center and drive along the scenic Badlands Loop Road, which takes one to two hours.
—Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 6 May 2023
Annie Zaleski, Chron, 5 Apr. 2023
Kori Williams, Seventeen, 18 May 2023
Take, for example, how Nye caps off most episodes with an educational music video parodying a pop music hit.
—Alex Orlando, Discover Magazine, 11 May 2023
Among those assembled for the ceremony were 100 heads of state, foreign royals, pop stars, actors, Noble Prize winners and representatives from charitable organizations dedicated to issues such as the environment and agriculture that have long mattered to the 74-year-old king.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 7 May 2023
Yoshida provided the coup de grace with a two-out grand slam off Guerra, who followed by finally retiring the 12th batter of the inning on a pop foul.
—Todd Rosiak, Journal Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2023
And for some fans, Kardashian’s pop cultural gravity may prove to be too much to resist, no matter the reason.
—Jonah Valdez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2023
The pop star also describes her country counterpart as a light who attracts contestants to his presence (the clip includes plenty of hopefuls declaring their desire to join Team Blake).
—Calie Schepp, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2023
The 12-by-8-foot canvas features 180 space alien toys from pop culture history, including Superman, E.T. and the Predator.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2023
John Lennon and Yoko Ono have one of the most famous — and fruitful — love stories in pop culture history.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 12 May 2023
Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 18 May 2023
Cruise isn't the only star to show up for a Jackson gig, as plenty of celebs have posed for pictures with the pop great during her latest trek, including Angela Bassett, Ciara, Katie Holmes, Questlove and more.
—Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 17 May 2023
Packed with nostalgia and pop culture, the film explores a time that set the stage for modern influencer culture.
—Taylor Lorenz, Washington Post, 17 May 2023
Korean pop girl group LE SSERAFIM debuts at No. 2 on Top Album Sales with Unforgiven, selling 38,500 copies in the week ending May 11.
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 16 May 2023
That grim news landed altogether heavily in the middle of an event that has generally suggested what might happen if theater kids, rather than tyrants, ran the world; not even a great pop song can drown out some boom-bang-a-bangs.
—Mike Mccahill, Variety, 14 May 2023
Saira Prince heard the pop of the gun and felt the agony from the girl in the lane next to her Saturday night to start the 300-meter hurdles at Mesa Community College.
—Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 13 May 2023
But through it all, the pop star has stayed physically and emotionally strong.
—Jacqueline Tempera, Women's Health, 12 May 2023
Organizers strive to keep pop and politics apart; overtly political symbols and lyrics are prohibited.
—Jill Lawless, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 May 2023
See More
Verb
One of the results that popped up was a post from an account with a profile picture of a smiling cat — location listed: Timbuktu — with a screed about U.S. and Mexico relations and a link to a YouTube video.
—Marisa Gerber, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2023
Think of the customer service chat windows that pop up on some websites.
—David Ingram, NBC News, 16 May 2023
The smell of smoke told us breakfast was ruined before two pieces of bread popped up, with a cooked lizard attached.
—Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, 13 May 2023
Make the message pop by adding it to the front of a pink or coral greeting card.
—Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 May 2023
By 2016, another pair of gold mining claims - one from Crevice and another from a company called Lucky Minerals - popped up near the park, prompting another wave of opposition.
—Dino Grandoni, Anchorage Daily News, 12 May 2023
Ava relishes the opportunity to step in for her dad to catch Aubrey, donning elbow guards on her knees and willing to play through any blisters and popped blood vessels.
—Brian Haenchen, The Indianapolis Star, 12 May 2023
Favored among celebrities such as Rihanna, Chrissy Teigen and Simon Cowell, the intravenous treatments have become more prevalent than ever before with boutique clinics and mobile options popping up across the country.
—L'oreal Thompson Payton, Fortune Well, 6 May 2023
Travelers short on time can pop into the Ben Reifel Visitor Center and drive along the scenic Badlands Loop Road, which takes one to two hours.
—Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 6 May 2023
Adverb
In addition, she’s also toured as a guitarist, violinist, and backing vocalist for the Irish singer-songwriter Hozier and as an opener (and touring band member) for the pop-leaning rocker Butch Walker.
—Annie Zaleski, Chron, 5 Apr. 2023
Adjective
Kori Williams Kori Williams is the Editorial Fellow at Seventeen and covers celebrities, pop culture, music and what’s interesting on the internet.
—Kori Williams, Seventeen, 18 May 2023
Take, for example, how Nye caps off most episodes with an educational music video parodying a pop music hit.
—Alex Orlando, Discover Magazine, 11 May 2023
Among those assembled for the ceremony were 100 heads of state, foreign royals, pop stars, actors, Noble Prize winners and representatives from charitable organizations dedicated to issues such as the environment and agriculture that have long mattered to the 74-year-old king.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 7 May 2023
Yoshida provided the coup de grace with a two-out grand slam off Guerra, who followed by finally retiring the 12th batter of the inning on a pop foul.
—Todd Rosiak, Journal Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2023
And for some fans, Kardashian’s pop cultural gravity may prove to be too much to resist, no matter the reason.
—Jonah Valdez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2023
The pop star also describes her country counterpart as a light who attracts contestants to his presence (the clip includes plenty of hopefuls declaring their desire to join Team Blake).
—Calie Schepp, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2023
The 12-by-8-foot canvas features 180 space alien toys from pop culture history, including Superman, E.T. and the Predator.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2023
John Lennon and Yoko Ono have one of the most famous — and fruitful — love stories in pop culture history.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 12 May 2023
Noun
Related Story Sylvester Stallone's Life Lesson on Chasing Goals Philip Ellis Philip Ellis is a freelance writer and journalist from the United Kingdom covering pop culture, relationships and LGBTQ+ issues.
—Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 18 May 2023
Cruise isn't the only star to show up for a Jackson gig, as plenty of celebs have posed for pictures with the pop great during her latest trek, including Angela Bassett, Ciara, Katie Holmes, Questlove and more.
—Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 17 May 2023
Packed with nostalgia and pop culture, the film explores a time that set the stage for modern influencer culture.
—Taylor Lorenz, Washington Post, 17 May 2023
Korean pop girl group LE SSERAFIM debuts at No. 2 on Top Album Sales with Unforgiven, selling 38,500 copies in the week ending May 11.
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 16 May 2023
That grim news landed altogether heavily in the middle of an event that has generally suggested what might happen if theater kids, rather than tyrants, ran the world; not even a great pop song can drown out some boom-bang-a-bangs.
—Mike Mccahill, Variety, 14 May 2023
Saira Prince heard the pop of the gun and felt the agony from the girl in the lane next to her Saturday night to start the 300-meter hurdles at Mesa Community College.
—Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 13 May 2023
But through it all, the pop star has stayed physically and emotionally strong.
—Jacqueline Tempera, Women's Health, 12 May 2023
Organizers strive to keep pop and politics apart; overtly political symbols and lyrics are prohibited.
—Jill Lawless, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 May 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pop.' 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
Middle English poppen, of imitative origin
Noun (2)
short for poppa
Adjective
by shortening
First Known Use
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (1)
1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adverb
circa 1625, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
1828, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (3)
1862, in the meaning defined at sense 1b
Time Traveler
The first known use of pop was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing pop
Video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
Some imitative words are more surprising than others
Dictionary Entries Near pop
Cite this Entry
“Pop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pop. Accessed 30 May. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
pop
1 of 6 verb
popped; popping
1
: to burst or cause to burst with a pop
the balloon popped
we popped corn
2
: to go, come, push, or enter quickly or suddenly
pop into bed
popped a grape into my mouth
3
: to shoot with a gun
4
: to bulge from the sockets
eyes popping with surprise
5
: to hit a pop fly
pop
2 of 6 noun1
: a sharp explosive sound
2
: a shot from a gun
3
: a flavored carbonated beverage
pop
3 of 6 adverb
: like or with a pop : suddenly
pop
4 of 6 nounpop
5 of 6 adjective1
a
: popular sense 2
pop music
b
: of or relating to pop music
a pop singer
2
: of, relating to, or being the behavior and interests of average people and especially young people
pop
6 of 6 noun
: popular music
listens to pop
Etymology
Verb
Middle English poppen "to hit, burst open"; a word created to imitate the sound made when something bursts open
Noun
a shortened form of poppa, an altered form of papa
Adjective
a shortened form of popular
More from Merriam-Webster on pop
Nglish: Translation of pop for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of pop for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pop
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