English Reference

Phrasal verb

drop by

Definition

phrasal verb. to visit someone or a place for a short time without a formal plan.

phrasal verb. to pay a brief, often spontaneous or informal visit to a person or location.

Examples

“Please drop by my office later today.”

“Since I was in the neighborhood, I decided to drop by and see how you were doing.”

“The local representative promised to drop by the community center to address the residents' concerns regarding the new development project.”

Examples

simple

“Please drop by my office later today.”

contextual

“Since I was in the neighborhood, I decided to drop by and see how you were doing.”

complex

“The local representative promised to drop by the community center to address the residents' concerns regarding the new development project.”

Usage

often used with 'at' for places or 'on' for people, though it can stand alone.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'visit' to show the difference in formality and duration; 'drop by' implies a casual, short stop.

Pitfall

I will drop by to you tomorrow.

I will drop by tomorrow.

the verb does not take 'to' before the person; use 'drop by' alone or 'drop by your house'.

Phrasal verb

Particles

by

Separability

inseparable

Pattern

drop + by

Synonyms

Antonyms

Grammar

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/drop-by

English Reference