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Synonyms

droopy

American  
[droo-pee] / ˈdru pi /

adjective

  • droopier,
    comparative
  • droopiest
    superlative
  1. hanging down; sagging.

  2. lacking in spirit or courage; disheartened; dejected.

    Synonyms:
    forlorn, subdued, depressed, doleful, downcast, downhearted, discouraged, despondent, dispirited

droopy British  
/ ˈdruːpɪ /

adjective

  1. hanging or sagging downwards

    a droopy moustache

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

Etymology

Origin of droopy

First recorded in 1200–50, droopy is from the Middle English word drupi. See droop, -y 1

Explanation

Something that's droopy flops or sags limply. A droopy plant might need water — or you might have watered it too much. Your dog might have adorably droopy ears, especially if he's a hound or a spaniel. You could also despair over your droopy hairdo, especially if you intended for it to spring up in curls instead of hanging limply down your back. You might also feel droopy after running a race on a hot day. The original meaning of droopy was "sad or gloomy," which most likely comes from the Old Norse drupr, "drooping spirits."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing droopy

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:

One woman told us her droopy eyelids had been restricting her vision and causing her headaches.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

William, who Rona chirpily informs us has “a rare mucous membrane disorder,” is happy to get “lugubrious”: “Meaning extremely sad and droopy? A topic I am all too familiar with.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 24, 2025

Malaska’s brushwork is at once vigorous, detailed and patterned, then loose and almost abstract or even droopy and distorted.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 24, 2023

The only trick that both Sandonato and Stevens vouched for is sticking a pin through the stem of droopy flowers about an inch below the bloom.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 3, 2023

Miss Bessie strolled toward the center, still following him with her droopy eyes, chewing slowly.

From "Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson

The road trips have been long, the games have been stacked and, inside the Lakers’ locker room, the eyes have been droopier.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2023

It was droopier and darker than the uncovered bouquet, and some of the leaves had even started to grow mold.

From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2022

Their zeal, their diverse characterizations and their startlingly rapid costume changes prop up even the droopier, more sentimental scenes well into the second act.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 21, 2019

Luciano’s droopy eye seems to be getting droopier with every episode.

From New York Times ● Oct. 26, 2014

He wore pyjama tops as shirts and had a droopy moustache and even droopier bags under his eyes that hinted at a world of pain.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 28, 2012

Every inch of grass was covered with tents—row after crooked row of the grimiest, droopiest tents Nate had ever seen.

From I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 by Lauren Tarshis

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