To plop means to drop or fall with a soft, heavy sound. When you're tired after a long day, you might plop down on the couch with a satisfied sigh. A frog plops into a pond with a gentle splash. You can plop ice cubes into lemonade or plop your backpack onto the floor when you get home from school.

The word captures both the action and the sound it makes: that dull, slightly wet thud. It's not a crash or a bang; it's softer and rounder, like dropping a water balloon or setting down something squishy. When something plops, it usually lands without much grace or ceremony.

You'll also hear plop used as a noun for the sound itself: “I heard the plop of raindrops hitting the puddle.” The word feels a bit silly and playful, which matches the slightly clumsy, comfortable way things plop down. When you plop into a chair, you're not worried about looking graceful; you just want to sit down and relax.