1
: pop fly
2
: a component or device that pops up
3
: a pop-up book
4
: a pop-up window on a computer screen
1
: of, relating to, or having a component or device that pops up
a pop-up book
2
: appearing suddenly: such as
a
computing
: appearing suddenly on a screen over another window or display
a pop-up window
a pop-up ad
b
of a business
: set up quickly for short-term operation in a temporary location
pop-up stores/shops
pop-up retail
The front lawn of nearly every home becomes either a parking lot or a pop-up market, perfect for hungry, thirsty fans held captive by the … lines of traffic.—
Juliet Macur
c
meteorology
: appearing or developing quickly in isolation rather than as part of a line or grouping of storms
By Thursday you should be able to go coast to coast and see only pop-up thunderstorms …—Paul Clark
Late summer is prime time for "pop-up" thunderstorms: storms born of hot, moist air that occur without regard to frontal activity or other large weather disturbances that are more easily understood.—The Journal & Courier (Lafayette, Indiana)
Examples of pop-up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
New Atlas, 15 Jan. 2026
Within the city itself, there’s Magic Kiez — a fan pop-up with free pizza (good) and mascot Stuff the Magic Dragon (good times two).
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
Heather McRea, Oc Register, 7 Jan. 2026
Founded as a pop-up, the restaurant moved into a 55-seat space on Sunnyvale’s Murphy Avenue before adding a flagship location in Palo Alto that seats 175 and also hosts jazz concerts.
—Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
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Noun
And of course, the third and final room is the dedicated bedroom up in the pop-up roof, where campers will find another double bed.
—Adjective
The summertime hangout has been full of people this winter visiting the Dream Glow Festival, a pop-up immersion event at the waterpark that closes out its run this weekend.
—Cite this Entry
“Pop-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pop-up. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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