to drop by

Examples

• All

• Thought l'd drop by, see if you wanted to go to the house.

  Urban Legend (1998)

• I ran into Dick at the garage today when I dropped by to gas up the car.

  Fiction book (1995)

• I got a few things to do, and then I'll drop by and pick you up at the club.

  To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

• - Thanks for dropping by.

  Mystery Men (1999)

• Just in the neighborhood, thought I'd drop by.

  Man of the Year (2006)

• I just got in from Hawaii and thought I'd drop by for a minute.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Don't forget, drop by on your way back.

  Migration (2023)

• "I was wondering if you'd like to drop by our apartment on Friday."

  Fiction book (1997)

• I'd like to drop by and check on her, just to see how she's doing.

  Dawn of the Dead (2004)

• I was just in the neighborhood, so I thought I would drop by for a quick chat.

Synonyms

C

to come by

vsto drop by

• Informal

506 3.9

Visit someone at home without calling first

implies a short casual stop rather than a planned meeting

S

to stop by

vsto drop by

• Informal

494 2.5

To make a short visit to a person or place

focuses on shortness and casual motive rather than planning status

D

to drop in

vsto drop by

• Informal

72 3.6

Visit someone without arranging it first

is similar but stresses brief casualness rather than only lack of arrangement

S

to swing by

vsto drop by

72 3.7

Visit a place for a short time while on the way somewhere

applies to brief casual visits even when not made while traveling

P

to pay a visit

vsto drop by

50 2.3

To go to someone's home or another place for a short time

is more informal and implies casual, unplanned short calls rather than formal ones

P

to pop in

vsto drop by

• Informal

25 3.4

To make a short informal visit to a place

suggests briefness more than arriving unexpectedly without planning

C

to call in

vsto drop by

• UK

1 2.8

Pay a short, often unplanned visit to someone

is more informal in tone and usually less formal than this phrase

How Long

to call on

41 3.1

to stop by

• Informal

494 2.5

to drop by

• Informal

206 2.5

to pop in

• Informal

25 3.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology