popped

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitive

   Made a short, sharp sound like a small explosion, or caused something to make this sound.

   Grammar: Used without an object; the subject is the thing that makes the sound.

   Patterns

   • something popped
   • pop (a balloon, a cork, etc.)

   The balloon popped loudly and made everyone jump.

   I heard a cork pop when they opened the champagne.

2. 2verbintransitiveinformal

   Went somewhere quickly and unexpectedly, often for a short time.

   Grammar: Often followed by a preposition like 'into', 'out', or 'over' to show direction.

   Patterns

   • pop in/out/over
   • pop into a place

   I just popped out to the shop for some milk.

   She popped into the office to pick up her keys.

3. 3verbtransitiveinformal

   Put something somewhere quickly and casually.

   Grammar: Takes an object; often used with 'in', 'into', or 'on'.

   Patterns

   • pop something in/into/on something

   He popped a mint into his mouth.

   Just pop the letter in the postbox on your way out.

4. 4verbtransitive or intransitive

   Opened suddenly, especially because of pressure, or made something open in this way.

   Grammar: Can be used with or without an object: 'The lid popped off' (no object) / 'She popped the lid off' (with object).

   Patterns

   • pop open
   • pop something open

   The lid suddenly popped open.

   He popped the top off the bottle.

5. 5verbintransitive

   (Of ears) Felt a sudden relief from pressure, often when going up or down in an aircraft.

   Grammar: Used without an object; the subject is usually 'ears'.

   Patterns

   • ears pop

   My ears popped as the plane began to descend.

   Swallowing helps if your ears pop during takeoff.

6. 6verbintransitiveinformal

   Appeared suddenly and briefly, especially on a screen or in a view.

   Grammar: Often followed by 'up' or 'on'.

   Patterns

   • pop up
   • pop on (a screen)

   A message popped up on my phone.

   A familiar face popped into my head.

Word forms

Common combinations

pop a balloon

The children loved popping balloons at the party.

pop the question

He finally popped the question after five years together.

pop into your head

The idea just popped into my head while I was walking.

pop out for a moment

I'm going to pop out for a moment to get some air.

pop open

The suitcase popped open when it fell off the car.

Synonyms and how they differ

burst

Burst suggests a more violent breaking apart, often with a bigger sound; pop is lighter and sharper.

crack

Crack is a sharp sound too, but it often suggests something breaking without coming apart completely; pop is more about a small explosion.

snap

Snap is a quick, sharp sound like something breaking or closing; pop is more like a cork coming out.

Word family

pop noun

A short, sharp sound, or a type of popular music.

popper noun

A small device that makes a popping sound, or a drug in a small glass bottle.

popping adjective

Making a series of short, sharp sounds, or (of a color) very bright and noticeable.

Commonly confused: popped or pooped?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “popped”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words