crop out: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal/Technical
Quick answer
What does “crop out” mean?
To appear or become visible unexpectedly or gradually, especially from a surface or background.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To appear or become visible unexpectedly or gradually, especially from a surface or background.
To appear or occur as a sudden or incidental feature, often from a geological or visual context; to emerge into view or consideration.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical difference. The term is equally technical in both varieties. British texts may use 'outcrop' as a noun more frequently for the geological sense.
Connotations
Neutral technical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Low frequency in general discourse, moderate in specific technical fields like geology and photography.
Grammar
How to Use “crop out” in a Sentence
[Geological feature] + crops out + [prepositional phrase of location][Subject] + cropped out + [adverbial phrase]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “crop out” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The sandstone beds crop out along the coastal cliff.
- A familiar face cropped out in the background of the old photo.
American English
- Basalt layers crop out in the canyon walls.
- My thumb cropped out at the edge of the selfie.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Might appear in reports on mining or land surveys.
Academic
Common in geology, geography, and earth science papers to describe rock formations.
Everyday
Very rare. Possibly used in photography discussions when an unwanted object appears in a picture.
Technical
Standard term in geology. Also used in photography/digital editing when part of an image unintentionally appears after cropping.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “crop out”
- Using 'crop out' to mean 'remove by cropping' (the opposite of its meaning).
- Confusing it with 'crop up' (to happen unexpectedly).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Crop up' means 'to happen or appear unexpectedly' in general situations (e.g., a problem cropped up). 'Crop out' is more specific to physical emergence, especially in geology/visuals.
It's unusual but possible in a metaphorical or visual sense, e.g., 'He kept cropping out in the background of my holiday photos.'
No, it is an intransitive phrasal verb. It does not take a direct object. The subject is the thing that appears.
The related noun is 'outcrop', which refers to the part of a rock formation that is visible at the surface.
To appear or become visible unexpectedly or gradually, especially from a surface or background.
Crop out is usually formal/technical in register.
Crop out: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkrɒp ˈaʊt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkrɑːp ˈaʊt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None directly associated]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a farmer's crop growing OUT of the ground. Similarly, rocks 'crop out' of the Earth's surface.
Conceptual Metaphor
VISIBILITY IS EMERGENCE / THE EARTH IS A BODY (with features appearing on its skin).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'crop out' used CORRECTLY?