Popeye

Cultural  

1. A tattooed, corncob pipe-smoking comic strip character created in the early twentieth century. Popeye the Sailorman is constantly called upon to save his girlfriend, Olive Oyl, from the schemes of the villainous Bluto. To gain the necessary strength, Popeye consumes a can of spinach.

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Though said to have been inspired by the marketing division of a spinach manufacturer, Popeye has proved enduringly popular, spawning adaptations for the radio, animated cartoons, and a motion picture.

Example Sentences

“You would not believe what it was back then,” said Popeye Vasquez, the company’s regional marketing director for the Western U.S.

From Slate • Jun. 25, 2026

But in the past few years, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Co. have acquired designer jackets, trendy jewelry and Popeye biceps.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Droopy Dog, Rocky, Bullwinkle, Popeye and even the beloved preschool character Bluey are mentioned or make appearances in the episode.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2025

Many newspapers have long relied on such collaborations to fill out their pages, whether the syndication is war reports from the Associated Press or Popeye comic strips.

From Slate • May 21, 2025

"Yeah," he said, "but if it was a real person, not just a picture person, how would he get big muscles? How did Popeye get his big muscles?"

From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry