What does "pulp" mean?
A soft, moist, shapeless mass or matter.; A mixture of wood, cellulose and/or rags and water ground up to make paper.
Pulp
/pʌlp/ adj, noun, verb, slang
adj, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A soft, moist, shapeless mass or matter.; A mixture of wood, cellulose and/or rags and water ground up to make paper.
- Grammar: pulp is listed as adj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: flesh, mash, albumen, batter.
- Useful contrasts: citrus peel, husk, intact.
- Usage evidence: My wife used to be a pro-wrestler, so if she ever catches me two-timing her, I'd be beaten to a pulp.
How to use "pulp"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pulp" 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 "pulp" 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 "pulp" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pulp" 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 "pulp" is acting as adj, noun, verb, slang 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 "flesh" 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 "pulp", 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 soft, moist, shapeless mass or matter.; A mixture of wood, cellulose and/or rags and water ground up to make paper. uncountable, usually
- 2 the soft inner part of a tooth wordnet
- 3 A soft, moist, shapeless mass or matter.; A mass of chemically processed wood fibres (cellulose). uncountable, usually
- 4 an inexpensive magazine printed on poor quality paper wordnet
- 5 A soft, moist, shapeless mass or matter.; A suspension of mineral particles, typically achieved by some form of agitation. uncountable, usually
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 any soft or soggy mass wordnet
- 7 A soft, moist, shapeless mass or matter.; The soft center of a fruit. uncountable, usually
"These sources do not, however, state why the drink is called lambswool. The name comes from the way the apples are roasted until they split open, and their pulp froths over the skin; this is used to float on top of the bowl of drink."
- 8 a soft moist part of a fruit wordnet
- 9 A soft, moist, shapeless mass or matter.; The soft center of a tooth. uncountable, usually
- 10 a mixture of cellulose fibers wordnet
- 11 A soft, moist, shapeless mass or matter.; The underside of a human fingertip; a finger pad. uncountable, usually
- 12 A soft, moist, shapeless mass or matter.; The very soft tissue in the spleen. uncountable, usually
- 13 A magazine or book containing lurid subject matter and characteristically printed on rough, unfinished paper. figuratively, uncountable, usually
"The hard-hitting, action packed, thud and blunder adventure fantasy was a commodity during that somber decade: Americans paid money to forget their troubles, and the pulps were willing to sell."
Verb
- 1 To make or be made into pulp. ambitransitive
- 2 reduce to pulp wordnet
- 3 To beat to a pulp. slang, transitive
- 4 remove the pulp from, as from a fruit wordnet
- 5 To deprive of pulp; to separate the pulp from. transitive
Adjective
- 1 Of or pertaining to pulp magazines; in the style of a pulp magazine or the material printed within such a publication.
"The Nightwing annual had what felt like a very 'pulp-ish' plot, and the Superman annual was great, with a very pulp plot and a^([sic]) incredible Doc Savage tribute cover."
Example
"My wife used to be a pro-wrestler, so if she ever catches me two-timing her, I'd be beaten to a pulp."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pulp"?
Common synonyms include: flesh, mash, albumen, batter, bonnyclabber, bruise.
How do you use "pulp" in a sentence?
My wife used to be a pro-wrestler, so if she ever catches me two-timing her, I'd be beaten to a pulp.
How do you pronounce "pulp"?
Pronounced /pʌlp/.
Etymology
From Middle English pulpe, from Latin pulpa.