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 of droop

Verb

• sag
• hang
• wilt

Noun

• slack
• slackness
• sag
• hang

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

On June 15, Andy and Ruben’s mom, Chantal, returned home from walking the dog to find their son on the bathroom floor, shaking, with the left side of his face drooping. — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026

Water the Right Way Container plants dry out much faster than those growing in the ground; consistent watering keeps your spillers—and the other plants in your pots—from drooping due to a lack of moisture. — Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 22 July 2026

Noun

Why Plants Wilt Reversing wilt begins with a basic understanding of what is going on in a plant when the leaves droop and the stems go limp. — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 May 2026

But if the gland expands or droops, which is common with age, a portion of it can escape those confines, bulging out below the jawbone and appearing as a lump in the neck. — Jolene Edgar, Allure, 14 May 2026

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

Rhymes for droop

• coop
• coupe
• croup
• drupe
• dupe
• group
• hoop
• loop
• lupe
• oop
• poop
• roop

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