plump
verb · adjective · noun · adverb
Simple meaning
Sudden and without reservation.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
pluhmpIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈplʌmp
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
Give support (to) or make a choice (of) one out of a group or number
“I plumped for the losing candidates.”
transitive
To make plump; to fill (out) or support; often with up.
Make fat or plump
“We will plump out that poor starving child.”
transitive
To cast or let drop (something) all at once, suddenly and heavily.
intransitive
To favor or decide in favor of.
Drop sharply
adjective
Sudden and without reservation; blunt; direct; downright.
Having a full and rounded shape; chubby, somewhat overweight.
noun
The sound of a sudden heavy fall
A group of geese flying close together.
adverb
Directly; suddenly; perpendicularly.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Give support (to) or make a choice (of) one out of a group or number
Used this way, plump is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“I plumped for the losing candidates.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “plump for …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Nearby words
- plunk , rarer, so it draws attention
Natural pattern: plump for …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use plump
- “I plumped for the losing candidates.”verb
- “We will plump out that poor starving child.”verb
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Be behind.
Depart suddenly.
Make fuller by shaking.
Drop heavily.
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “plump” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.