Standard Lemma guide

droop

adj · noun · verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈdɹuːp/
  • [ˈdɹʊu̯p]
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -uːp
  • homophone: drupe
  • CMU ARPABET: D R UW1 P Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Drooping; adroop.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Something which is limp or sagging.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A condition or posture of drooping.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He walked with a discouraged droop.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A hinged portion of the leading edge of an aeroplane's wing, which swivels downward to increase lift during takeoff and landing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: aeronautics, aerospace, aviation, business, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To hang downward; to sag.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • a. 1992, quote attributed to Sylvester Stallone I'm not handsome in the classical sense. The eyes droop, the mouth is crooked, the teeth aren't straight, the voice sounds like a Mafioso pallbearer, but somehow it all works.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lop

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To slowly become limp; to bend gradually.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To lose all energy, enthusiasm or happiness; to flag.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To allow to droop or sink.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • 1892, Arthur Christopher Benson, “Knapweed” in Le Cahier Jaune: Poems, Eton: privately printed, p. 62, Down in the mire he droops his head; Forgotten, not forgiven.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To proceed downward, or toward a close; to decline.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

a shape that sags

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • there was a sag in the chair seat

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sag

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: depression, impression, imprint

11

verb

Meaning 11

become limp

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The flowers wilted

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: wilt

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decay, crumble, dilapidate

12

verb

Meaning 12

droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sag, swag, flag

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sink, drop, drop down

Narrower terms: slump, slouch, bag

13

verb

Meaning 13

hang loosely or laxly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • His tongue lolled

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: loll

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dangle, swing, drop

History

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English droupen, from Old Norse drúpa (“to droop”), from Proto-Germanic *drūpaną, *drupōną (“to hang down, drip, drop”), from Proto-Indo-European *dhrewb- (“to drip, drop”). Doublet of drip and drop.

Across languages

Translations

59 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: униние (uninie) — a condition or posture of drooping
  • Czech: pokleslost — a condition or posture of drooping
  • Czech: skleslost — a condition or posture of drooping
  • Czech: zplihlost — a condition or posture of drooping
  • Russian: уныние (unynije) — a condition or posture of drooping
  • French: bec — aviation: a hinged portion of the leading edge
  • Bulgarian: свеждам (sveždam) — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Bulgarian: клюмвам (kljumvam) — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Chinese Mandarin: 低垂 (dīchuí) — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Chinese Mandarin: 下垂 (xiàchuí) — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Czech: zplihnout — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Finnish: roikkua — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • French: tomber — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • French: s'affaisser — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • German: durchhängen — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • German: herabhängen — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • German: herunterhängen — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • German: herabsinken — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • German: heruntersinken — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Italian: pendere — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Macedonian: ви́си (vísi) — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Māori: raupeka — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Māori: tatao — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Māori: konewha — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Māori: kōnewhanewha — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Māori: tāngange — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Māori: pītawitawi — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Māori: hō — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Māori: whakatauweweru — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Middle English: droupen — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Russian: свиса́ть (svisátʹ) — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Swedish: sloka — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Ottoman Turkish: بایلمق (bayılmak) — to sink or hang downward; to sag
  • Bulgarian: отслабвам (otslabvam) — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • Bulgarian: клюмвам (kljumvam) — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • Czech: sklánět se — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • Czech: ohýbat se — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • Czech: svěšovat se — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • Esperanto: velki — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • Finnish: kuihtua — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • Finnish: nuukahtaa — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • Finnish: nuupahtaa — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • German: nachgeben — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • German: erschlaffen — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • German: ermatten — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • German: abschlaffen — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • German: schwinden — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • German: welken — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • Macedonian: на́ведне (návedne) — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • Russian: склоняться (sklonjatʹsja) — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • Russian: поникнуть (poniknutʹ) — to slowly become limp; to bend gradually
  • Bulgarian: унивам (univam) — to lose all enthusiasm or happiness
  • Czech: sklesnout — to lose all enthusiasm or happiness
  • Czech: klesat na duchu — to lose all enthusiasm or happiness
  • Finnish: väsähtää — to lose all enthusiasm or happiness
  • Māori: parohea — to lose all enthusiasm or happiness
  • Middle English: droupen — to lose all enthusiasm or happiness
  • Russian: па́дать духом (pádatʹ duxom) — to lose all enthusiasm or happiness
  • Russian: унывать (unyvatʹ) — to lose all enthusiasm or happiness