# pop in

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pop-in
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

To visit a person or a place for a short time, often without a plan. You use this when you want to sound casual about a quick visit.

For teachers: To make a brief, informal visit. The verb is intransitive, though it frequently precedes prepositional phrases indicating the destination or the person visited.

## Examples

- I'll pop in to see you on my way home.
- Since I was already in the neighborhood, I decided to pop in and say hello to my old neighbors.
- While the CEO was visiting the regional office, she made a point to pop in on the design team to offer her personal thanks for their recent success.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I will pop in you later." but "I will pop in to see you later." — The verb is intransitive and cannot take a person as a direct object.

## Usage notes

- Usually implies a short duration and an informal atmosphere.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'visit' or 'drop by'; 'pop in' is particularly common in British English to minimize the importance of the visit.

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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.