drop-in
noun
Also a person who or thing that pays an unexpected or uninvited visit.
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drop-in
American
[drop-in]
/ ˈdrɒpˌɪn /
noun
-
Informal. Also a person who or thing that pays an unexpected or uninvited visit.
a feeder for squirrels, raccoons, and other drop-ins.
-
Informal. a social gathering at which the guests are not expected to stay long.
Be sure to stop by our house for a glass of eggnog at our Christmas drop-in.
adjective
-
provided for short-term patronage.
a drop-in shelter for people who are moving through homelessness.
-
requiring only insertion to be ready for use.
a drop-in battery pack.
drop in
British
verb
Etymology
Origin of drop-in
First recorded in 1810–20; noun and adjective use of verb phrase drop in
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Among its holistic therapies, all free of charge to patients and carers, are drop-in art classes, a well-being garden and a chaplaincy service.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
Sometimes, though, capybaras need more help than they can get from these drop-in visits—a fact that, along with the species’ rising popularity, has ushered some capybaras of Brazil into a new kind of lifestyle entirely.
From Slate ● May 27, 2026
A morning at the local Citizens Advice drop-in clinic highlights the issues present.
From BBC ● May 4, 2026
The result is a drop-in replacement for metallurgical coal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025
“Of course! What did I do to get so lucky for a drop-in visit? Everything okay?”
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
“However, high oil prices could quickly unwind if there is a deal between the U.S. and Iran. This could also cause a recovery in bonds and a drop in yields.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
A transit occurs when a planet passes in front of its star and causes a small temporary drop in the starlight seen from Earth.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026
Tearoom owner Patsy Lockerby said the drop in footfall had left small shops and businesses "suffering".
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
The result contrasts with a pullback in manufacturing shipments in July and drop in monthly sales volumes, which points to headwinds for the economy to kick off the third quarter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Now, if the wind tunnels hadn’t been running in the background, with their constant whoosh and roar, I might have heard a pin drop in the room.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
