droop

1 of 2

verb

ˈdrüp 

drooped; drooping; droops

intransitive verb

1

: to hang or incline downward

2

: to sink gradually

3

: to become depressed or weakened : languish

transitive verb

: to let droop

droopingly

ˈdrü-piŋ-lē 

adverb

droop

2 of 2

noun

: the condition or appearance of drooping

Synonyms

Verb

• flag
• hang
• loll
• sag
• swag
• wilt

Noun

• hang
• sag
• slack
• slackness

Examples of droop in a Sentence

Verb

The flowers were drooping in the hot sun.

Her eyelids drooped as she grew tired.

The tree's branches drooped under the weight of the snow.

His spirits drooped when he didn't get the job.

Noun

tighten the line at the top of the banner so there won't be so much droop

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

As the plant matures, the arching branches and gracefully drooping stem tips hug the ground. —Nadia Hassani, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 2024

Twigs of dead lingonberry and dryas shrubs drooped onto dirt the color of fresh asphalt. —Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2024

Noun

Here and there — an underpass, public library bathroom stall, in front of CVS — a needle is left jutting from a bare, grimy foot, and a head droops to the ground into unconsciousness. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 16 June 2024

Sometimes there’s a slur to her speech and a droop to her lip that suggest infirmity and instability. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English drupen, from Old Norse drūpa; akin to Old English dropa drop

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1647, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

droop

1 of 2 verb

ˈdrüp 

1

: to sink, bend, or hang down

2

: to become depressed or weak

droopingly

ˈdrü-piŋ-lē 

adverb

droopy

ˈdrü-pē

adjective

droop

2 of 2 noun

: the condition or appearance of drooping