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Meaning & use

popping pills

phrase·Everydayinformal

Last updated

UK/ˌpɒpɪŋ ˈpɪlz/
US/ˌpɑːpɪŋ ˈpɪlz/

Meanings

  1. phrasefixed phraseinformaldisapproving

    Taking tablets or capsules, often in a quick or casual way, sometimes suggesting overuse of medicine or drugs.

    Grammar: Usually continuous: he is always popping pills.

    Patterns

    • be popping pills
    • start popping pills

    She was popping pills just to get through the day.

    He stopped popping pills when his doctor warned him.

    Teenagers were popping pills at the party.

  2. phrasefixed phraseinformal

    Taking medicine regularly in a matter-of-fact way without special comment.

    Grammar: Neutral or light in tone in some contexts.

    Patterns

    • popping pills for something

    My grandfather is popping pills for his blood pressure every morning.

    Athletes were popping pills to treat sore muscles.

    I'm popping pills for my allergies all spring.

Word forms

base formpop pills
past tensepopped pills

Common combinations

stop popping pills
He decided to stop popping pills and see a therapist.
popping pills like candy
She was popping pills like candy.
popping pills for pain
He was popping pills for back pain.
popping pills at a party
They were popping pills at the party.
constantly popping pills
Their friend was constantly popping pills.

Synonyms and how they differ

taking medication
Taking medication is neutral and formal, while popping pills is casual and sometimes critical.
swallowing tablets
Swallowing tablets describes the physical act only, without the casual judgement.
dosing yourself
Dosing yourself suggests treating your own illness and is more old-fashioned.
self-medicating
Self-medicating stresses treating yourself without a doctor, and is more formal.

Opposites

going withoutabstaining

Word family

pop verb
to put something somewhere quickly or take a pill
pill noun
a small tablet of medicine
pill-popper noun
a person who takes a lot of pills
pillbox noun
a small container for pills

Commonly confused: popping pills or popping pimples?

popping pills vs popping pimples

Popping pimples means squeezing skin spots, which is not related to taking pills.

Practice

If someone is 'always popping pills', what does the speaker most likely imply?

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