Meaning & use
hopping
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“hopping” is a form of “hop”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbintransitive
Jumping on one foot or with both feet together, or (of an animal) moving by small jumps.
Grammar: Used without an object; often followed by a prepositional phrase like 'across', 'over', or 'from'.
Patterns
- hopping on something
- hopping over something
- hopping around
The children were hopping on one foot to see who could go the farthest.
The rabbit was hopping across the lawn.
She came hopping into the room with a big smile.
adjectivenot comparableinformal
Very angry or excited.
Grammar: Used after a linking verb like 'be' or 'get'; usually in the phrase 'hopping mad'.
Patterns
- be hopping mad
- get hopping mad
When she saw the mess, she was hopping mad.
He got hopping mad when they canceled the concert.
adjectivenot comparableinformal
Full of activity; busy and lively.
Grammar: Used before a noun; often in the phrase 'a hopping place'.
Patterns
- a hopping place
- a hopping party
The new restaurant is a hopping place on Friday nights.
It was a hopping party with music and dancing.
Word forms
| third person singular | hops |
|---|---|
| past tense | hopped |
| past participle | hopped |
| present participle | hopping |
Common combinations
- hopping mad
- She was hopping mad about the broken window.
- hopping around
- The kids were hopping around the playground.
- hopping on one foot
- He hurt his ankle and had to go hopping on one foot.
- hopping from one place to another
- They spent the summer hopping from one city to another.
Synonyms and how they differ
- jumping
- Jumping is a more general word for pushing yourself off the ground with both feet; hopping is usually on one foot or with small jumps.
- leaping
- Leaping suggests a longer, more forceful jump, often over something; hopping is smaller and often repeated.
- bounding
- Bounding means moving with large, energetic jumps; hopping is lighter and less powerful.
Word family
Commonly confused: hopping or hoping?
hopping vs hoping
Hoping means wishing for something; hopping means jumping. They sound similar but have different meanings.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'hopping' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Hopping mad' is a common informal phrase meaning very angry. 'Hopping to see' and 'hopping that' are wrong because they confuse 'hopping' with 'hoping'. 'Hopping a new bike' is wrong because 'hop' is not used that way.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hopping”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.