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• prop
  prop

  verb (used with object)

  to support, or prevent from falling, with or as if with a prop (often followed byup ).
• prop-
  prop-

  a combining form representing propionic acid in compound words.
• prop.
  prop.

  abbreviation

  properly.

prop

¹ American  

[prop] / prɒp /

verb (used with object)

• props,
  present (3rd person singular)
• propped,
  past participle,  past
• propping
  present participle

1. to support, or prevent from falling, with or as if with a prop (often followed byup ).

   to prop an old fence; to prop up an unpopular government.

   Synonyms:

   bolster, buttress, brace

2. to rest (a thing) against a support.

   He propped his cane against the wall.

3. to support or sustain (often followed byup ).

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noun

1. a stick, rod, pole, beam, or other rigid support.

2. a person or thing serving as a support or stay.

   His father is his financial prop.

prop ² American  

[prop] / prɒp /

noun

Theater.

1. property.

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prop ³ American  

[prop] / prɒp /

noun

1. a propeller.

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prop- ⁴ American  

1. a combining form representing propionic acid in compound words.

   propanil.

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prop. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. properly.

2. property.

3. proposition.

4. proprietary.

5. proprietor.

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prop ¹ British  

/ prɒp /

verb

1. (tr) to support with a rigid object, such as a stick

2. to place or lean

3. (tr) to sustain or support

4. (intr) to stop suddenly or unexpectedly

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noun

1. something that gives rigid support, such as a stick

2. a person or thing giving support, as of a moral or spiritual nature

3. rugby either of the forwards at either end of the front row of a scrum

prop ² British  

/ prɒp /

noun

1. short for property

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prop ³ British  

/ prɒp /

noun

1. an informal word for propeller

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prop Idioms  

1. see knock the bottom (props) out from.

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Usage

What does prop mean? In theater and film, a prop is any item on the set of a production other than the costumes and scenery. It especially refers to an object handled or used by actors during their performance. This can be just about anything: a sword, a supercomputer, and a coffee mug are all examples of things that can be used as props in a production. Sometimes, these are real objects (like the coffee mug), but sometimes they are specially made for the production (like the supercomputer). The word can also be used more generally to refer to an item used in a similar way, such as during a presentation or photoshoot. Example: At my improv class, we have a box of items we can use as props during each scene. Unrelatedly, prop is also a common verb meaning to support something or hold it up, especially by using something else. This sense of the verb is most commonly used in the verb phrase prop up, as in One of the legs is broken so we had to prop up the table with the trash can. It can also be used figuratively, as in Holiday sales are the only thing propping up the company. Prop can also mean rest or lean something against something else that serves as a support, as in I don’t have a stand for my guitar so I just prop it against the wall. Something that serves as a support for something in this way can be called a prop, as in We’ll need to use a prop to keep it stable. Example: Prop the door open with a chair so we don’t get locked out.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• propless
  adjective
• unpropped
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• propping
  present
• propped
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• prop
  simple
• props
  simple
• have propped
  perfect
• has propped
  perfect
• am propping
  progressive
• are propping
  progressive
• is propping
  progressive
• have been propping
  perfect progressive
• has been propping
  perfect progressive

Past

• propped
  simple
• had propped
  perfect
• was propping
  progressive
• were propping
  progressive
• had been propping
  perfect progressive

Future

• will prop
  simple
• will have propped
  perfect
• will be propping
  progressive
• will have been propping
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of prop¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English noun prop(p)e “support, support for a vine or plant”; cognate with Middle Dutch proppe “bottle stopper,” early Modern Dutch “support for vines”

Origin of prop²

First recorded in 1910–15; by shortening

Origin of prop³

First recorded in 1910–15; by shortening

Explanation

A prop is something you use as a support, like a broom that serves as a prop to hold a door open. A prop is also something that goes on stage, like a garbage can in a Beckett play. When you use a prop, you can say you prop something, or prop it up: "Here, prop your blanket fort up with this chair." This handy word also means "a moveable object used on the set of a movie or play." If you get a film job as a prop master, you'll be in charge of placing props in the correct spot before a scene is shot. This theatrical meaning is actually a shortened form of properties.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prop prop- prop. props propped propping

Then, the hosts look at why Scott Bessent decided to prop up the Japanese yen and what makes the move unusual.

From Slate ● Aug. 8, 2026

The Financial Times said on Friday that the US Treasury had joined with Japan to prop up the yen for the first time in nearly three decades.

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

Fortunately, they substantially improved the performance of the prop trading group I worked with.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

But they’ve got another bone to pick with Holden Caulfield: He is being used as a prop by performative men to impress those around him.

From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026

“It’s terribly heavy. Get one of those big vases and prop it open.”

From "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson

Thanks to the increased efficiency of waterjets and the lower drag of a shaft-, strut-, prop- and rudder-free bottom, the folks at Huckins expect the boat to run a little bit faster.

From Time Magazine Archive

“I’m almost like a prop. That is a picture of that little boy.”

From Washington Post ● Mar. 2, 2023

“You are very well aware of the rules tonight. And you have a prop. That is not allowed, sir. I ask you to put that prop away,” the moderator said, after a testy exchange.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 15, 2022

Mr. Walker replied, “Well, it’s not a prop. This is real.”

From New York Times ● Oct. 14, 2022

“First of all, we cannot use Bibles as a prop. And for those that have agendas that are not about justice, this family will not let you use George as a prop,” said Mr. Sharpton.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 4, 2020

What I am earnestly trying to get at is, if this Herman Wagner wanted to be sole prop. of a sylvan glen, why should he have gone thirty-two miles farther for one?

From Ma Pettengill by Wilson, Harry Leon

"They've invested so much into the props, the games and all of these brands are part of the actual production," she says.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

Next to that show’s glittering costumes, huge cast and massive props arsenal, Sheepstealer and his fellow dragons seem downright reasonable.

From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2026

But in some cases, blue skies can be seen through the facades, making the decaying structures look like theater props.

From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026

The video’s props, which were primarily designed using cardboard and felt, were displayed in glass cases for visitors to admire.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026

She gives me props soon as she gets on.

From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas

Amid explosive demand for Novo’s drugs, the company grew so much it propped up Denmark’s entire economy.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

Zemian, who had also been uncuffed, started digging through the SUV, collecting spare tactical vests, then propped them underneath the agent’s head.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

Earnings quadrupled on paper, but an analyst calls that an “illusory” performance propped up by unrealized gains from equity investments.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Leicester Tigers were down in eighth two years ago, while Bath propped up the entire division in 2022.

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026

Old Timothy grunted enigmatically and propped the ladder in the hall.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Left unasked is whether an administration capable of propping up even the most deranged Caesars was good for citizens of the empire.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

One side of the terraced row of houses on Llewellyn Street was demolished and replaced by the motorway, leaving the remaining side staring at either a huge concrete embankment or pillars propping up the M4.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Artificial intelligence has been “the one thing” propping up the economy and global markets, according to Apollo Global Management.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026

Japanese authorities spent more than $70 billion last month propping up the currency as it weakened against the greenback.

From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026

I had lost my beloved walking stick—I suddenly remembered propping it against a tree when I had stopped to tie a lace—and was filled with despair.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• brace