Meaning & use
drop zone
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Meanings
nouncountable
An area where people or supplies are dropped from an aircraft, especially by parachute.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a drop zone or the drop zone, and use the plural drop zones.
Patterns
- a drop zone for something
- mark a drop zone
- land in the drop zone
The pilots circled back over the drop zone to release the supplies.
Windy weather made the drop zone too dangerous for the paratroopers.
Rescue teams marked a drop zone near the flooded village.
nouncountableinformal
In skydiving, the place where parachutists land and where jumping activities are based.
Grammar: Often used with the, and common in the phrase at the drop zone.
Patterns
- at the drop zone
- a busy drop zone
- jump at a drop zone
Experienced jumpers hang around the drop zone all weekend.
She did her first solo jump at a drop zone in Arizona.
The drop zone has a small cafe and a packing hall.
nouncountablesport
In some sports, an area of the field or court where a ball or player is expected to land.
Grammar: Used mainly in commentary and coaching; usually with the.
Patterns
- cover the drop zone
- move into the drop zone
The defender drifted back to cover the drop zone behind the line.
He caught the ball just inside the drop zone.
Word forms
| plural | drop zones |
|---|
Common combinations
- mark a drop zone
- The crew marked a drop zone with bright panels.
- at the drop zone
- We spent the morning at the drop zone waiting for clear skies.
- designated drop zone
- Only the designated drop zone may be used for airdrops.
- drop zone safety
- New rules on drop zone safety came into force this year.
Synonyms and how they differ
- landing zone
- Broader: it can mean any place where an aircraft or craft lands, not only one used for dropping people or goods.
- drop zone
- In military use, 'drop zone' is the standard term; 'landing zone' often refers to helicopters.
Word family
- drop verb
- To let something fall or be released from a height.
- airdrop noun
- A delivery of supplies by parachute from an aircraft.
Commonly confused: drop zone or drop-off zone?
drop zone vs drop-off zone
A drop-off zone is a place where vehicles stop briefly to let passengers out, usually at a school or airport; a drop zone is for dropping things from the air.
Practice
The rescue team marked a _____ in the field so the plane could deliver food.
Choose one answer.
'Drop zone' means an area where things are dropped from an aircraft, which fits the plane delivering food. 'Drop-off zone' is for cars letting passengers out, and 'dropout' and 'drop-down' are unrelated words.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “drop zone”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.