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.
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.
First recorded in 1810–20; noun and adjective use of verb phrase drop in
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The MCC is also experimenting with drop-in pitches, which are heavily used in Australia.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 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
"We don't have to be referred to. Anybody can call, drop into our drop-in centres and we'll help them," Ms Arthur said.
From BBC ● Jan. 3, 2026
The result is a drop-in replacement for metallurgical coal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025
He’s feeling good enough to come to Friday night drop-in at the mosque?
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
Compared with the sugar-free gum, chewing Hubba Bubba significantly increased saliva acidity, producing a 1.4 point drop in pH.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026
In addition to the drop in networks sales, Ericsson has also faced increasing cost pressures, having previously highlighted rising input costs, especially in semiconductors, caused in part by surging artificial-intelligence demand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
That means a 10% increase in iPhone prices would only result in a 2% to 5% drop in unit shipments.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
The figure marked a pullback from a three-year high, as a drop in energy costs more than offset upticks in housing and food.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
I start in with the syrup—a tiny drop in each square.
From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli
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.
