pop the question

Cultural  

1. To “pop the question” is to propose marriage: “They have been going out for so long; I wonder when he'll pop the question.”

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pop the question Idioms  

1. Propose marriage, as in He picked Valentine's Day to pop the question. [Early 1700s]

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Example Sentences

The luxury marriage proposal business is booming in Paris with international clients happy to pay thousands to pop the question in the most romantic way possible in the City of Love.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

To pop the question he designed a homemade escape room, which is one of their favourite things to do together.

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025

The NBA star knew since their first trip to the Caribbean island in 2022 that he wanted to pop the question there and began planning the proposal about six months ago.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2025

So when it came time to pop the question to his girlfriend, Ann, in 1989, DeHovitz decided to place a reader ad himself: “Ann, my love for you is forever! Please marry me. Love, Ross.”

From New York Times • May 9, 2023

I figured I’d see Celia in school and pop the question.

From "145th Street: Short Stories" by Walter Dean Myers