# dropped

/ˈdɹɑpt/ (US) · /dɹˈɒpt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dropped
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. fell or let go

verb · CEFR A2

let something fall to the ground, or fell down by accident.

For teachers: the past tense of 'drop', indicating that an object was released or fell due to gravity.

- He accidentally dropped his phone on the sidewalk and cracked the screen.
- The courier dropped the package at the front door before the resident had a chance to answer the bell.

### 2. stopped or cancelled

verb · CEFR B1

stopped doing something or removed someone from a group.

For teachers: the past tense of 'drop', used when a plan, subject, or person is removed from a schedule or roster.

- She dropped the history class because she had too much homework.
- The legal team dropped the charges after new evidence suggested the defendant was out of the country at the time.

### 3. disconnected

adjective · CEFR B2

describes a phone call or internet connection that stopped working suddenly.

For teachers: describing a telecommunications connection that has been prematurely or unintentionally terminated.

- I couldn't finish the meeting because of a dropped call in the elevator.
- The technician investigated the high frequency of dropped packets, which was causing significant latency during the live broadcast.

### 4. lower than usual

adjective · CEFR B2

positioned lower than normal, like a ceiling or a person's shoulders.

For teachers: positioned at a lower level than the surrounding surface or the standard height.

- The kitchen has a dropped ceiling to hide the new water pipes.
- The architect specified a dropped floor in the lounge area to create a distinct sense of intimacy within the open-plan house.

## Examples

- She dropped her keys on the floor by mistake.
- The temperature dropped significantly overnight, leaving a thin layer of frost on the windows.
- After the initial investigation failed to produce any credible leads, the police eventually dropped the charges due to a lack of evidence.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.