plump
1 Americanadjective
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
-
to drop or fall heavily or suddenly; come down abruptly or with direct impact.
-
Chiefly British. to vote exclusively for one candidate in an election, instead of distributing or splitting one's votes among a number.
verb (used with object)
-
to drop or throw heavily or suddenly (often followed bydown ).
He plumped himself down and fell asleep.
-
to utter or say bluntly (often followed byout ).
She plumps out the truth at the oddest times.
-
to praise or extol.
road signs plumping the delights of a new candy bar.
noun
-
a heavy or sudden fall.
-
the sound resulting from such a fall.
adverb
-
with a heavy or sudden fall or drop.
-
directly or bluntly, as in speaking.
-
in a vertical direction; straight down.
-
with sudden encounter.
-
with direct impact.
adjective
verb phrase
noun
-
a group or cluster.
-
a flock.
a plump of ducks.
verb
-
to drop or fall suddenly and heavily
to plump down on the sofa
-
to give support (to) or make a choice (of) one out of a group or number
noun
adverb
-
suddenly or heavily
he ran plump into the old lady
-
straight down; directly
the helicopter landed plump in the middle of the field
adjective
adjective
-
well filled out or rounded; fleshy or chubby
a plump turkey
-
bulging, as with contents; full
a plump wallet
-
(of amounts of money) generous; ample
a plump cheque
verb
noun
Synonym Usage
See stout.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of plump1
First recorded in 1475–85; earlier plompe “dull, rude,” from Middle Dutch plomp “blunt, squat”; cognate with Middle Low German plump “uneducated, clumsy”
Origin of plump2
First recorded in 1375–1425; Middle English verb plumpen “to plunge into water, dive,” cognate with Dutch plompen; probably imitative
Origin of plump3
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English plump; origin unknown
Explanation
Something that's plump has a nice round shape. You could describe watching your plump little cousin eating one plump grape after another. Objects and people can both be described as plump, as long as they're full or round or chubby. Though some people might be offended by being called plump, it's meant to describe an appealing roundness. And when you plump something, you pat or shake it so that it becomes fuller: "Let me plump those pillows on the bed while you tuck the sheets in."
Vocabulary lists containing plump
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:
Perhaps unspurprisingly, splitting a bill equally tends to encourage people to order more, or plump for the caviar and lobster, boosting the overall final bill for everyone.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
A taste of New England in West Hollywood, it quickly became known for fried clams and chowders harkening to Cimarusti’s Rhode Island childhood and plump lobster rolls filled with never-frozen lobster.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026
Golden raisins, warmed slowly in butter until they plump and relax, their sweetness deepening into something almost jammy.
From Salon ● Apr. 10, 2026
So dad ended up with more asset wealth, including plump IRA accounts that were created midway through his working years.
From Barron's ● Mar. 14, 2026
“They were short, plump, had a tree tattooed on their hand. That Mark of Eden, I think that’s what it’s called.”
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
Instead, she says many products on offer promising plumper skin and fuller hair, often marketed as anti-ageing, will already be aligned with what may appeal to those on weight-loss drugs.
From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2026
Over the past half-century, as breeders selected for larger ears with more numerous and plumper, heavier kernels, they ended up choosing big plants with many leaves for photosynthesis and tall stalks.
From Science Magazine ● Oct. 25, 2023
Speculation around the “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star’s face and figure began in 2014, when fans noticed that Jenner seemingly had plumper lips.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2023
Probably an orange/lemon hybrid, Meyer lemons have a lot less of an acid base than ordinary lemons, and they tend to look a little plumper.
From Salon ● Feb. 13, 2023
While I was tall and thin, like Dad, Ji-yong and Ji-yun were shorter and plumper, like Mom.
From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang
In heading to your local farmers’ market and purchasing the plumpest blackberries and eggplants from vendors you’ve come to recognize.
From New York Times ● Jul. 15, 2022
To guarantee the first, seek out local peaches, which have been tree-ripened — they've spent more time growing to their fullest, plumpest size and are harvested just before being brought to market.
From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2021
The oysters in the Hudson River around the Statue of Liberty are some of the plumpest and fastest growing Crassostrea virginica in the whole of New York harbor.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 17, 2016
Under the US system, however, some of the plumpest birds seem to get away with their plumage largely intact.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2016
When the platter of steaming crabs was passed around, Waverly was first and she picked the best crab, the brightest, the plumpest, and put it on her daughter’s plate.
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
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.
