(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.
Ramirez loved the pizza and offered to build a truck to make the pop-up concept mobile.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
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
The cafe, which started as a pop-up in 2012, now has two locations in the Austrian capital, where omas and opas bake the strudel, Linzer torte and other goodies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
On Monday night volunteers had worked until midnight to make sure everyone who was at the pop-up shop could get served.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
There might be a neat pop-up book, or a dinosaur diorama that I could add to my collection.
From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English
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
The region has already seen several fires pop up over the last few days, triggering evacuations near Lake Piru and in the Antelope Valley.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Tomato and soy are one of those quietly brilliant flavor pairings that seem to pop up everywhere once you start looking for them.
From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026
Have you seen traffic cones pop up in unexpected places?
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
Dedd half expected Minerva and Lio to pop up in back.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
He worked pop-ups, reopened Baohaus and found himself alongside line cooks half his age.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
Around Manhattan, Adidas branding has been hard to miss, from dedicated World Cup pop-ups to smaller promotional stands and adverts across the city.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026
Younger shoppers in particular focus less on legacy logos, instead seeking out pop-ups or emerging domestic brands.
From Barron's ● May 27, 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
I shot down a few more pop-ups and then typed in one word.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
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.
