What does "cropper" mean?
A fall, a tumble; a decided failure.
Cropper
name, noun
name, noun ·2 syllables ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A fall, a tumble; a decided failure.
- Grammar: cropper is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: agriculturalist, agriculturist, agrologist, agronomist.
- Useful contrasts: planter, safe landing, sower.
- Usage evidence: Tom passed three of his five exams, and came a cropper in two.
How to use "cropper"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cropper" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cropper" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "cropper" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "cropper" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cropper" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "agriculturalist" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "cropper", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A fall, a tumble; a decided failure.
"But to myself I thought: ‘Considering that for eight whole years I sat on the front bench as top of the class while he drifted about somewhere in the middle, he can hardly fail to nourish a wish, left over from his schooldays, that some day or other I may come a complete cropper.’"
- 2 A breed of domestic pigeon with large crop.
- 3 A person who nurtures and gathers a crop.
- 4 A machine for cropping, as for shearing off bolts or rod iron, or for facing cloth.
- 5 small farmers and tenants wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A variety of plant producing a good harvest.
"The mango tree cannot be regarded as a reliable cropper."
Proper Noun
- 1 An English surname originating as an occupation for a cropper.
- 2 An unincorporated community in Shelby County, Kentucky, United States, named after founder James Cropper.
- 3 A hamlet in Osleston and Thurvaston parish, South Derbyshire district, Derbyshire, England (OS grid ref SK2335).
Example
"Tom passed three of his five exams, and came a cropper in two."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cropper"?
Common synonyms include: agriculturalist, agriculturist, agrologist, agronomist, barber, bauer.
How do you use "cropper" in a sentence?
Tom passed three of his five exams, and came a cropper in two.
Etymology
Etymology 1
See come a cropper.
Etymology 2
From crop + -er, in reference to a bird's crop.
Etymology 3
From crop + -er (occupational suffix) or + -er (relational suffix), in reference to agricultural crops.
Etymology 4
From crop + -er, from the verb.