pop fly

IPA/ˌpɒp ˈflaɪ/
IPA/ˌpɑːp ˈflaɪ/

pop fly — noun

1. a ball struck by a baseball player that rises high above the field but stays nea

1.nounB1
Definition

a ball struck by a baseball player that rises high above the field but stays near home plate, giving a fielder a simple chance to catch it

Example

Diya hit a pop fly to the shortstop, who caught it for the second out.

passive pattern: hit a pop fly to [position]

The crowd groaned as the batter's pop fly landed in the first baseman's glove.

Common collocations
  • hit a pop fly
  • catch a pop fly
  • a pop fly to shortstop / left field / the infield
  • a shallow pop fly
  • a pop fly that drops for a hit
  • chase down a pop fly
  • a routine pop fly
Synonyms
  • popup

    shorter, informal synonym; 'The batter popped up to the catcher.'

  • fly ball

    broader term — any ball hit high into the air, not necessarily short; a pop fly is a type of fly ball.

  • infield fly

    a specific baseball rule situation; not every pop fly is ruled an infield fly.

Antonyms
  • line drive

    a ball hit hard and straight, not high in the air

  • ground ball

    a ball that rolls or bounces along the ground instead of going into the air

Grammar Patterns

pop fly + verb (is / was)

Usage Note

Common in North American baseball commentary. The phrase can be shortened to 'pop' in informal speech (e.g. 'He hit a pop to shortstop').

Common Mistakes

The batter hit a pop fly that went over the fence for a home run.
The batter hit a pop fly that the shortstop caught for an out.
A pop fly is a short, high hit, not a long-distance home run.

Word family

  • pop
    nounA2
  • popup
    nounB2
  • pop up
    phrasal verbB1
  • fly ball
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A 'pop fly' and a 'popup' are nearly identical — both describe a ball hit high but short. 'Popup' is more informal and is also used as a verb ('he popped up'). 'Fly ball' is the broader category: any ball hit into the air, including deep hits to the outfield. A pop fly is a specific type of fly ball that stays close to the infield. 'Infield fly' is a legal ruling under baseball's infield fly rule, not a description of the ball's trajectory — though it applies to pop flies in certain situations. Finally, a 'line drive' is the opposite: a ball hit hard and low through the infield, not high enough to be a fly ball. For example: 'A pop fly to shallow center field was caught, but a line drive to the gap went for a double.'

popupfly ballinfield flyline drive

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • hit a pop fly
  • catch a pop fly
  • pop fly to center field
  • pop fly that drops for a hit

Prepositions

Etymology

EnglishAmerican English

'Pop fly' is a compound noun from American baseball slang dating back to the late 1800s. The 'pop' part echoes the short, crisp sound of a bat making contact with the ball on a light swing, while 'fly' (short for 'fly ball') refers to a ball hit through the air. Together they describe a hit that goes up high but stays close — the opposite of a 'line drive' or a 'home run.'

First known use

1884

1884, in the meaning defined above