plump
gb/plˈʌmp/ us/plˈʌmp/
B1
English
~ 8000
telt, duci, pufók, húsos, tömött, felráz, dúsít, lehuppan, lezöttyen, kitelik, kikerekedik, megduzzad, egyenesen, puffanva, telibe
B1
1
Usage pattern:
[someone]/[a body part] is plump
The baby had plump cheeks and big brown eyes.
A babának pufók arca és nagy barna szeme volt.
She used to be quite plump in her teens but slimmed down in college.
Tizenévesen elég telt volt, de az egyetemen lefogyott.
A plump middle‑aged man opened the door and smiled at us.
After a few weeks of good food, he looked much more plump and healthy.
The artist painted a group of plump women laughing together on the beach.
Learner examples
The cat is small and plump.
A macska kicsi és duci.
He is short and plump, with a big smile.
Alacsony és duci, nagy mosollyal az arcán.
Her plump hands held the little cup.
The baby looks plump and healthy.
Grandma is a little plump but very strong.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "plump" when they mean simply "fat" without the idea of softness or pleasantness. "Plump" usually sounds softer or more positive than "fat", especially for babies, children, or cheeks.
Meaning
slightly fat in a pleasant way
Collocations
plump cheeks
|plump face
|plump body
|plump baby
|short and plump
|round and plump
Synonyms
chubby (Often used for children or to sound cute or friendly; slightly more informal than "plump".)
Antonyms
skinny (Describes being very thin, often in an unhealthy or unattractive way, which is the opposite of softly full and rounded.)
Themes
appearance
|people
|health
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A little fat in a soft, full way, often looking healthy or cute.
Slightly fat in a soft, full, and usually attractive way when describing a person or part of the body.
B1
2
Usage pattern:
[something] is plump
We picked a basket of plump, sweet strawberries from the garden.
Egy kosárnyi nagy szemű, édes epret szedtünk a kertben.
She arranged a few plump cushions on the sofa to make it more comfortable.
Néhány tömött párnát rendezett el a kanapén, hogy kényelmesebb legyen.
The chef chose only the plumpest tomatoes for the sauce.
The hens were healthy and plump by the end of summer.
These plump grapes burst with juice when you bite into them.
Learner examples
The grapes are big and plump.
A szőlőszemek nagyok és húsosak.
I bought a plump chicken for dinner.
Egy jó húsos csirkét vettem vacsorára.
There are plump pillows on the bed.
These beans are soft and plump after cooking.
The sofa has many plump cushions.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "plump" with "thick" for soft objects. "Plump" focuses on fullness and roundness, while "thick" is more about distance between two sides (like a thick book or thick wall).
Meaning
full and rounded in shape
Collocations
plump grapes
|plump tomatoes
|plump berries
|plump cushions
|plump pillow
|plump chicken
Synonyms
full (Broad and general; does not always imply a soft, rounded shape like "plump" does.)
Antonyms
shriveled (Describes food or objects that have lost fullness and look small, dry, and wrinkled, the opposite of plump and fresh.)
Themes
food
|home
|daily life
|daily_life
|food_drink
|housing
Definition
Full and round in shape, not thin or flat, often used for food or soft things.
Full, rounded, and firm in shape, especially when describing food, cushions, or other objects that are not thin or flat.
VERB
B2
3
Usage pattern:
to plump (up) [something]
She plumped up the pillows before lying down with her book.
Felrázta a párnákat, mielőtt lefeküdt olvasni.
The hotel maid quickly plumped the cushions and straightened the bedspread.
A szállodai szobalány gyorsan felrázta a párnákat, és eligazította az ágytakarót.
He stood up, plumped up the sofa cushions, and invited his guest to sit.
The stylist suggested a treatment to plump up her thin lips.
Plump up the mattress a bit; it’s sagging in the middle.
Learner examples
She plumped up the pillow before sleeping.
Felrázta a párnát, mielőtt aludni ment.
Please plump the cushions on the sofa.
Kérlek, rázd fel a párnákat a kanapén.
The maid plumps up the bed every morning.
He plumped up the seat so it was softer.
I plump up my pillow to make it higher.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"beat the pillow big"* instead of "plump up the pillow" or "fluff the pillow". Use "plump (up)" when you hit or shake something soft so it looks full and round again.
Meaning
make something fuller and rounder
Collocations
plump up the pillows
|plump up the cushions
|plump up the mattress
|plump the pillow
|plump up lips
Synonyms
fluff (Very common for pillows and cushions; focuses more on making them soft and airy than on fullness.)
Antonyms
flatten (Means to make something flat and less full, the opposite of making it round and full.)
Themes
home
|daily life
|appearance
|housing
|body
|daily_life
Definition
To move or hit something soft, like a pillow, so it looks bigger, rounder, and more comfortable.
To make something look fuller, softer, and more rounded, especially by shaking, beating, or pushing it, such as cushions, pillows, or lips in cosmetic contexts.
VERB
B2
4
Usage pattern:
to plump (down) [somewhere]
He came home from work and plumped down on the couch with a sigh.
Hazajött a munkából, és egy sóhajjal lehuppant a kanapéra.
She plumped down beside me and kicked off her shoes.
Lehuppant mellém, és lerúgta a cipőjét.
The dog plumped down at my feet and went straight to sleep.
I grabbed a coffee and plumped down in front of the TV.
They plumped down into the chairs, exhausted after the long hike.
Learner examples
He plumped down on the sofa.
Lehuppant a kanapéra.
She came home and plumped down in a chair.
Hazajött, és lehuppant egy székre.
The girl plumped down next to her friend.
I plump down on my bed after school.
The tired man plumped down on the floor.
Common mistake:
Learners often only know "sit down" and may not realize that "plump down" adds the idea of doing it heavily and suddenly. Also, they sometimes drop the particle and say *"plumped the sofa"* when they mean they sat on it; for sitting use "plump down on the sofa".
Meaning
sit or fall heavily and suddenly
Collocations
plump down on the sofa
|plump down beside [someone]
|plump down into a chair
Synonyms
collapse (Suggests falling down from weakness or tiredness; "plump (down)" is more about a heavy, sudden movement, often by choice.)
Antonyms
rise (Means to move up from sitting or lying, the opposite direction of sitting or falling down heavily.)
Themes
movement
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To sit or drop your body down fast and heavily, usually with a small noise.
To sit or fall down in a heavy, sudden way, often with a sound, usually followed by "down".
VERB
B2
5
Usage pattern:
[something]/[someone] plumps (up)
After a few weeks of good meals, his cheeks began to plump up again.
Néhány hét jó étkezés után az arca újra kezdett kitelni.
The dried apricots plumped up nicely after soaking in warm water.
Az aszalt sárgabarackok szépen megduzzadtak, miután meleg vízbe áztattuk őket.
She had plumped up a little over the winter but felt healthier.
The bread rolls plumped up in the oven and turned golden brown.
Her face, once thin and drawn, slowly plumped up as she recovered.
Learner examples
The beans plump up when you cook them.
A bab főzés közben megduzzad.
His face plumped up after he got better.
Kitelt az arca, miután jobban lett.
The fruit will plump up in the water.
After many good meals, he plumped up.
The bread plumps up in the oven.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "plump up" with "pump up". "Plump up" is about becoming fuller and rounder, often naturally or by adding water, while "pump up" usually refers to using air or a pump (for example, to pump up a tire) or to increasing excitement.
Meaning
become fuller and rounder
Collocations
cheeks plumped up
|face plumped up
|fruit plumps up
|beans plump up
|body plumped up
Synonyms
fill out (Very common for people gaining some weight; slightly broader and more informal than "plump up".)
Antonyms
shrink (Means to become smaller, often thinner or less full, which is the opposite of becoming plump.)
Themes
health
|food
|appearance
|body
|food_drink
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To slowly become more full and round, for example after eating well or adding water.
To become fuller, fatter, or more rounded in shape, especially when referring to body parts, people, or food, often used with "up".
C1
LITERARY
6
Usage pattern:
[something] falls/hits plump [on/against something]
The stone struck plump on the metal lid with a loud clang.
A kő hangos csattanással egyenesen a fémfedélre csapódott.
He tripped and landed plump on his back in the mud.
Megbotlott, és nagy puffanással a hátára esett a sárban.
The apple dropped from the tree and fell plump on the path below.
Learner examples
The ball hit him plump on the nose.
A labda telibe találta az orrát.
She slipped and fell plump on the ground.
Megcsúszott, és nagy puffanással a földre esett.
The rock landed plump on the car roof.
Common mistake:
Modern learners rarely use this adverb and may think it has the same meaning as the adjective "plump" (slightly fat). In this old‑fashioned use, it describes the way something falls or hits, not a body shape.
Meaning
directly, with a single heavy impact
Collocations
fell plump on
|landed plump on
|hit plump against
Synonyms
squarely (Very close in meaning when talking about hitting or facing something directly; more common in modern English.)
Antonyms
obliquely (Means at an angle or not directly, the opposite of a straight, direct impact.)
Themes
movement
|literature
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Straight and with a heavy hit or fall, in one movement. This is now old‑fashioned or literary.
Directly and with a single heavy movement or impact, especially when describing how something falls or hits, now mainly literary.
Grammar
Dictionary form
plump
IPA
GB/plˈʌmp/
US/plˈʌmp/
Syllables & stress
plump (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (plump)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: plump
- Comparative: plumper
- Superlative: plumpest
Verb
- Base: plump
- 3rd Person Singular: plumps
- Present Participle: plumping
- Past: plumped
Word family
Expressions
plump down
1/plˈʌmp dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
sit down heavily and suddenly
To sit down fast and heavily, usually because you are tired or do not care how you sit.
Examples
- He came in, threw off his coat, and plumped down on the sofa.
- She plumped down next to me and started talking at once.
- The children plumped down on the floor to watch the movie.
plump down (money)
1/plˈʌmp dˈaʊn mˈʌni/
phrasal verb
informal
pay a lot of money at once
To pay a large amount of money in one go, often when you do not really want to or it feels like a lot.
Examples
- We had to plump down a huge deposit for the flat.
- He plumped down the cash for a new phone on the spot.
- I’m not plumping down that kind of money for a dress I’ll wear once.
plump for
1/plˈʌmp fɚ/
phrasal verb
choose or decide in favor of
To choose or decide to support one person or thing from several choices, often after thinking for a while.
Examples
- After looking at all the options, we plumped for the cheaper hotel.
- In the end she plumped for the blue dress instead of the red one.
- Most voters plumped for the candidate who promised lower taxes.
plump up
1/plˈʌmp ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
make something soft fuller and rounder
To hit, shake, or push something soft, like a pillow or cushion, so it becomes bigger, rounder, and more comfortable.
Examples
- She plumped up the pillows before getting into bed.
- The company tried to plump up its sales figures before the end of the year.
- The cleaner quickly plumped up the cushions on the sofa.
- They plumped up the guest list by inviting distant cousins.
- He stood up to plump up the mattress where it had gone flat.
- A few simple decorations can really plump up the look of the room.