stop in

Idioms and Phrases

see under stop by .

Related Words

• call
• conduct
• encounter
• lead
• meet
• receive
• show
• visit
• walk

More About Stop In

What does stop in mean?

Stop in means to briefly or casually visit a place or to stay there for a short time.

A person who stops in for a visit doesn’t stay there for very long, as in She promised to at least stop in whenever she was in town. 

Sometimes, the phrase implies that it is done as one of several stops, as in I might stop in at the post office on my way to the grocery store.

The similar phrase stop by has the same meaning as stop in, as in Janet stopped by just to say hello. 

The phrases stop over, drop by, drop in, and drop over often mean the same thing.

In many cases, these terms imply that the visit was unannounced or unexpected, as in You’ll never guess who stopped in earlier. 

Sometimes, the words stop and in appear next to each other in a sentence when they are not being used as a phrase. In these cases, the word in is being used as a preposition, as in Don’t just stop in the middle of the road—keep walking! 

Example: Did your sister every stop in to get that saw that we borrowed?

Where does stop in come from?

The first records of the verb phrase stop in come from around 1900. The first records of stop by come from around the same time. Both of these phrases use the word stop to mean “pause” or “halt.”

However, this stop is a temporary one—or at least it’s intended or implied to be. In many cases, when a person stops in, it’s as one of multiple stops they are making. Sometimes, though, when a person says they are going to stop in, the visit ends up being much longer than anticipated. On the other hand, stop in is sometimes used when a person doesn’t want to or can’t commit to visiting, as in I might stop in today if I get the chance.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for stop in?

• stop by
• stop over
• drop by
• drop in
• drop over
• swing by 
• pop in

What are some words that share a root or word element with stop in? 

• stop
• in

What are some words that often get used in discussing stop in?

• visit
• briefly
• short
• time
• office
• house

How is stop in used in real life?

Stop in is typically used in the context of short visits or brief stays, such as to a home or store. It sometimes implies that such a visit was unannounced.

Our daughter stopped in for a visit. Hey Dad…can I try the focaccia with some olive oil and basalmic? Nothing warms my heart like seeing her enjoy some of Dad’s cooking. pic.twitter.com/XeRTJA0Lnk

— SCUBADubois (@SCUBADubois) September 13, 2020

First up is @mainstreetbooks! Emily Hall is one of the warmest, most generous souls I know. I've always loved the cozy quirkiness of Main Street Books and I'm sure you will too. Stop in some time & don't forget to check out my fave part: the 2nd floor. https://t.co/NA2L3eTUCD pic.twitter.com/dZzc6gvz1p

— Z Brewer 💀 (@ButUCanCallMeZ) November 16, 2020

Holy shmazoli, an over five hour livestream, thank you to ALL of you who either stopped in for a bit, watched a good portion, or watched the whole thing!! That was so different for us and we hope you enjoyed it! pic.twitter.com/jEMePCYDgs

— Sanders Claus (@ThomasSanders) November 20, 2020

 

Try using stop in!

Is stop in used correctly in the following sentence?

My cousin stopped in for tea but he had to leave for an appointment.