- requiring only a quick insertion into a receptacle to be ready for use: Our new stroller has a pop-in frame for a baby carrier, so the baby can be transferred in or out without waking.I bought a guitar with a pop-in whammy bar, which I prefer over the old screw-in types.
- designating a quick, often impromptu visit, or an event or venue that welcomes or includes such visits: The mayor’s holiday open house featured pop-in appearances from a number of local celebrities.It was a rainy Saturday, so I took the kids to a pop-in play center.
- (of a retail business) located within a larger store from which it rents space: Opening a pop-in shop can help you try out brick-and-mortar retail with minimal capital investment.
- a pop-in item, visit, event, or venue: The café is a fun, casual spot, great for a pop-in after work with friends.
- (in video games) the tendency of objects, textures, lighting, or game geometry to pop into existence or into higher resolution after a delay in rendering, instead of loading with the rest of the environment or scene (often used attributively): Despite some pop-in issues, the views in this game are often quite lovely.
- to visit briefly and unexpectedly; stop in; drop by: Maybe we'll pop in after the movie.
- to insert or be inserted into a receptacle with a quick, easy motion: Doing bacon in the oven is so easy—just pop it in and wait!The battery pops in like so, and then you snap the cover on.
- (of objects, textures, etc., in video games) to come suddenly into existence or into higher resolution after a delay in rendering, instead of loading with the rest of the environment or scene: Sometimes you'll even be fully on a rock and climbing it by the time the high-res texture pops in.
