Dropdown menu
/DROP-down MEN-yoo/ · noun · INPUT pattern · #072
A closed box that shows one choice and opens a list of the rest. Saves room when there are many options; hides them for no reason when there are only a few.
Also called: drop-down list, select menu, select box, pull-down menu.
You might call it
- “the box you click to pick from a list”
- “a drop down box”
- “the little arrow that opens a list”
- “a pull down menu”
- “a select box on a form”
…its name is Dropdown menu.
Common questions
What is the drop down menu called on a website?
Usually a dropdown menu or drop-down list. In HTML the element is <select>, which is why it is also called a select box. If you can type to filter the options, it is a combobox. A menu of commands that drops down from a button (File, Edit) is also called a dropdown menu, but it runs actions instead of choosing a value.
Drop down menu vs radio buttons: which should I use?
Radio buttons show every option at once, which is quicker and clearer for two to five choices. A dropdown hides the options behind a click, which only pays off when there are many of them (countries, years) or space is tight. Both allow one choice only; use checkboxes when several can be picked.
In code
| SwiftUI | Picker .pickerStyle(.menu) |
|---|---|
| UIKit | UIButton.menu changesSelectionAsPrimaryAction |
| Jetpack Compose | ExposedDropdownMenuBox DropdownMenuItem |
| Android (Views) | Spinner MaterialAutoCompleteTextView |
| Flutter | DropdownMenu DropdownButton |
| Web (HTML / ARIA) | <select> <option> role="combobox" |
Prompt for your AI coding tool
Add a dropdown for choosing one option: a labelled field that shows the current choice with a chevron and opens a list of options below it; picking one closes the list and updates the field. Use a native <select> unless you need custom styling; if you build your own, follow the ARIA combobox and listbox pattern so arrow keys move, Enter selects, Escape closes and the choice is announced. With five or fewer options, show radio buttons instead.
More UI words to use when vibe coding →