(of books, usually children's books) having pieces of artwork fastened to the pages so that when the page is opened, a three-dimensional cutout or object is formed and, sometimes, movement of a picture element, such as a door opening, can be activated by pulling a tab.
of or being a device that ejects or raises a finished or used item from the top.
a pop-up toaster.
of or relating to a device, mechanism, or object that rises or pivots from a concealed or recessed position to its operating position.
a camera with a pop-up electronic flash; a car with pop-up headlights.
popping up, as from an appliance or object.
pop-up waffles heated in the toaster; a pop-up gauge for indicating when the turkey is done.
noting or pertaining to a store, restaurant, etc., that temporarily takes over a vacant space and does business there for a short time.
a pop-up store selling Halloween costumes.
Digital Technology. (of a new window or its content) appearing suddenly and temporarily within or in front of an open window on the screen of a computer or mobile device.
Right-click to get a pop-up menu. There are tools to block pop-up ads.
a pop-up book.
Also called pop-out. Also called popout. something, as a partially cut out or spring-mounted illustration in a children's book, that unfolds or springs up when opened or otherwise activated.
a Christmas card with a pop-up of Santa Claus.
Baseball. pop fly.
a pop-up store, restaurant, etc.
Digital Technology. a pop-up window, message, advertisement, etc..
Press the hotkey and the pop-up will appear.
(of an appliance) characterized by or having a mechanism that pops up
a pop-up toaster
(of a book) having pages that rise when opened to simulate a three-dimensional form
computing (of a menu on a computer screen, etc) suddenly appearing when an option is selected
(of a shop, restaurant, venue, or other small business) intentionally opening and closing for business within a very short span of time
a pop-up shop
First recorded in 1860–65 pop-up for def. 9; noun, adjective use of verb phrase pop up
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Their pages don’t flicker with pop-up ads or interrupt one book to tell you about others you might want to read.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
Peterborough City Council said the pop-up shop would be open on 31 July on Bridge Street, next to the Town Hall.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Arthur Grigoryan’s Yerord Mas, his ode to Armenian cuisine, goes from pop-up to a full restaurant in Glendale.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
The sandwich first gained popularity through a pop-up he launched in 2018 with with his wife, co-owner and manager Takouhi Petrosyan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
After a pop-up ad appears on her screen, Vivian announces that she plans to sign up for Netflix.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
Then, on a hot D.C. morning, usually in June, extremely consequential opinions pop up on the court’s website that give and take the rights of millions of Americans.
From Slate ● Jul. 15, 2026
Every spring an influx of new operators tends to pop up, often charging low rates to try to undercut their peers, said Avery Bustin, a 24-year-old with a detailing business in Montrose, Colo.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
Smoove will pop up at some point to rehash Leon and Larry’s dynamic in, shall we say, an ancestral context.
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026
Seeing the native plants and flowers begin to pop up on her lot was important, Ragusa says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
I butter the bread when the slices pop up.
From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari
Max spent £20,000 from his redundancy package buying and converting a horsebox trailer into a pizza truck, which now caters for weddings, parties and pop-ups.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
In the loop outside the theater are food trucks, buffets, and more than half a dozen Vancouver-area coffee, tea, and matcha pop-ups serving unlimited boutique offerings.
From Slate ● May 8, 2026
That helps explain why Chinese malls and shopping districts increasingly lean on pop-ups, exhibitions, and themed retail to turn online enthusiasm into offline foot traffic.
From Barron's ● Apr. 11, 2026
Brands have also increased their focus on local clients through Ramadan collections, pop-ups and events.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026
He hit a few easy grounders and pop-ups, and the fielders shouted encouragement to one another in Yiddish.
From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok
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.
