pop quiz

noun

: an unscheduled or unannounced quiz

Examples of pop quiz in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The previous owners must have doused the property with chemicals, and as summer wheezed toward its smoky end, my lawn became less suburban ideal and more of a pop quiz in weed identification. Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 14 May 2026 Memorize these numbers for a possible pop quiz at the end of this column. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026 Who wants to show up to a dinner party and not only get homework but also a pop quiz? Brian Moylan, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2026 Let’s start today’s column with a pop quiz. Scott Maxwell, Sun Sentinel, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pop quiz

Word History

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pop quiz was in 1931

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pop quiz.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pop%20quiz. Accessed 24 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster