Cup vs. Tumbler — What's the Difference?

A small, typically cylindrical container with a handle, used for drinking hot beverages.

A flat-bottomed container without a handle, used for drinking beverages.

Often comes with a saucer in formal settings.

Versatile for both hot and cold drinks, often used in casual settings.

Designed for hot beverages, providing insulation through its material and handle.

Made from a variety of materials including glass, plastic, and stainless steel.

Commonly made of ceramic or porcelain.

Can vary widely, some holding up to 20 ounces or more.

Generally holds about 6 to 8 ounces of liquid.

Often comes with features like insulation and lids for convenience.

A cup is an open-top container used to hold liquids for pouring or drinking; while mainly used for drinking, it also can be used to store solids for pouring (e.g., sugar, flour, grains). Cups may be made of glass, metal, china, clay, wood, stone, polystyrene, plastic, aluminium or other materials, and are usually fixed with a stem, handles, or other adornments.

One that tumbles, especially an acrobat or gymnast.

A small bowl-shaped container for drinking from, typically having a handle.

A drinking glass, originally with a rounded bottom.

An ornamental trophy in the form of a cup, usually made of gold or silver and having a stem and two handles, awarded as a prize in a sports contest.

A flat-bottomed glass having no handle, foot, or stem.

A cup-shaped thing.

The contents of such a drinking glass.

A mixed drink made from fruit juices and typically containing wine or cider

A toy made with a weighted rounded base so that it can rock over and then right itself.

Form (one's hand or hands) into the curved shape of a cup

One of a breed of domestic pigeon that characteristically tumbles or somersaults in flight.

Bleed (someone) by using a glass in which a partial vacuum is formed by heating

A piece in a gunlock that forces the hammer forward by action of the mainspring.

A small open container, usually with a flat bottom and a handle, used for drinking.

The part in a lock that releases the bolt when moved by a key.

Such a container and its contents.

The drum of a clothes dryer.

Abbr. c. A unit of capacity or volume equal to 16 tablespoons or 8 fluid ounces (237 milliliters). See Table at measurement.

A tumbling box.

The bowl of a drinking vessel.

A projecting piece on a revolving or rocking part in a mechanism that transmits motion to the part it engages.

The chalice or the wine used in the celebration of the Eucharist.

The rocking frame that moves a gear into place in a transmission, as on a lathe.

A decorative cup-shaped vessel awarded as a prize or trophy.

(archaic) One who tumbles; one who plays tricks by various motions of the body.

(Sports) A golf hole or the metal container inside a hole.

A movable obstruction in a lock, consisting of a lever, latch, wheel, slide, or the like, which must be adjusted to a particular position by a key or other means before the bolt can be thrown in locking or unlocking.

Either of the two parts of a brassiere that fit over the breasts.

A rotating device for smoothing and polishing rough objects, placed inside it, on relatively small parts.

An athletic supporter having a protective reinforcement of rigid plastic or metal.

A piece attached to, or forming part of, the hammer of a gunlock, upon which the mainspring acts and in which are the notches for sear point to enter.

A sweetened, flavored, usually chilled beverage, especially one made with wine

A drinking glass that has no stem, foot, or handle — so called because such glasses originally had a pointed or convex base and could not be set down without spilling. This compelled the drinker to finish their measure.

A dish served in a cup-shaped vessel

A variety of the domestic pigeon remarkable for its habit of tumbling, or turning somersaults, during its flight.

A cuplike object.

A beverage cup, typically made of stainless steel, that is broad at the top and narrow at the bottom commonly used in India.

(Biology) A cuplike structure or organ.

Something that causes (something else) to tumble.

A lot or portion to be suffered or enjoyed.

(obsolete) A dog of a breed that tumbles when pursuing game, formerly used in hunting rabbits.

To shape like a cup

A kind of cart; a tumbril.

To place one's curved hand or hands over or around

The pupa of a mosquito.

To subject to the therapeutic procedure of cupping.

One of a set of levers from which the heddles hang in some looms.

A concave vessel for drinking from, usually made of opaque material (as opposed to a glass) and with a handle.

(obsolete) A porpoise.

The contents of said vessel.

(cryptocurrency) A service that mixes potentially identifiable or 'tainted' cryptocurrency funds with others, so as to obscure the audit trail.

A customary unit of measure

One who tumbles; one who plays tricks by various motions of the body; an acrobat.

(US) A US unit of liquid measure equal to 8 fluid ounces (16 of a US gallon; 236.5882365 mL) or 240 mL.

A movable obstruction in a lock, consisting of a lever, latch, wheel, slide, or the like, which must be adjusted to a particular position by a key or other means before the bolt can be thrown in locking or unlocking.

(Canada) A Canadian unit of measure equal to 8 imperial ounces (20 imperial gallon; 227.3 mL) or 250 mL.

A piece attached to, or forming part of, the hammer of a gunlock, upon which the mainspring acts and in which are the notches for the sear point to enter.

A British unit of measure equal to 2 imperial pint (10 imperial ounces; 284 mL) or 300 mL.

A drinking glass, without a foot or stem; - so called because originally it had a pointed or convex base, and could not be set down with any liquor in it, thus compelling the drinker to finish his measure.

A trophy in the shape of an oversized cup.

A variety of the domestic pigeon remarkable for its habit of tumbling, or turning somersaults, during its flight.

A contest for which a cup is awarded.

A breed of dogs that tumble when pursuing game. They were formerly used in hunting rabbits.

(association football) The main knockout tournament in a country, organised alongside the league.

A kind of cart; a tumbrel.

(golf) A cup-shaped object placed in the target hole.

A gymnast who performs rolls and somersaults and twists etc.

(in combination) Any of various sweetened alcoholic drinks.

A glass with a flat bottom but no handle or stem; originally had a round bottom

A rigid concave protective covering for the male genitalia.

A movable obstruction in a lock that must be adjusted to a given position (as by a key) before the bolt can be thrown

One of the two parts of a brassiere which each cover a breast.

Pigeon that executes backward somersaults in flight or on the ground

Prefixed with a letter, used as a measurement of bra or breast size.

(mathematics) The symbol $\backslash cup$ denoting union and similar operations.

(tarot) A suit of the minor arcana in tarot, or one of the cards from the suit.

(ultimate frisbee) A defensive style characterized by a three player near defense cupping the thrower; or those three players.

A flexible concave membrane used to temporarily attach a handle or hook to a flat surface by means of suction.

Anything shaped like a cup.

A cupping glass or other vessel or instrument used to produce the vacuum in cupping.

(figurative) That which is to be received or indured; that which is allotted to one; a portion of blessings and afflictions.

(transitive) To form into the shape of a cup, particularly of the hands.

(transitive) To hold something in cupped hands.

(transitive) To pour (a liquid, drink, etc.) into a cup.

To supply with cups of wine.

To apply a cupping apparatus to; to subject to the operation of cupping.

To make concave or in the form of a cup.

A small vessel, used commonly to drink from; as, a tin cup, a silver cup, a wine cup; especially, in modern times, the pottery or porcelain vessel, commonly with a handle, used with a saucer in drinking tea, coffee, and the like.

The contents of such a vessel; a cupful.

Repeated potations; social or excessive indulgence in intoxicating drinks; revelry.

That which is to be received or indured; that which is allotted to one; a portion.

Anything shaped like a cup; as, the cup of an acorn, or of a flower.

A cupping glass or other vessel or instrument used to produce the vacuum in cupping.

To supply with cups of wine.

To apply a cupping apparatus to; to subject to the operation of cupping. See Cupping.

To make concave or in the form of a cup; as, to cup the end of a screw.

A United States liquid unit equal to 8 fluid ounces

The quantity a cup will hold;

A small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle;

A large metal vessel with two handles that is awarded as a trophy to the winner of a competition;

Any cup-shaped concavity;

The hole (or metal container in the hole) on a golf green;

A punch served in a pitcher instead of a punch bowl

Cup-shaped plant organ

Form into the shape of a cup;

Put into a cup;

Treat by applying evacuated cups to the patient's skin

Not all cups come with saucers, but it's common in formal tea and coffee sets.

Tumblers can be used for hot drinks, especially insulated ones, but they're often chosen for cold beverages.

Cups typically hold 6-8 ounces, while tumblers can vary widely in size, some holding 20 ounces or more.

Yes, many tumblers come with lids, making them convenient for on-the-go use.

It depends on the material. Ceramic cups are usually microwave safe, while metal tumblers are not.

Most are, but it depends on the material. It's always best to check the manufacturer's instructions.

Insulated tumblers can keep drinks hot or cold for several hours.

Many companies offer customization options for both cups and tumblers.

Yes, cups can be used for cold drinks, but they're more traditionally associated with hot beverages.

Reusable tumblers are more eco-friendly than disposable cups, reducing waste.

Yes, many tumblers are designed for travel, with features like insulation and secure lids.

Special cleaning brushes are available for tumblers with narrow openings.

Consider the beverage, setting, and convenience features like insulation and lids.

Yes, ceramic tumblers can hold cold drinks, but they're not insulated like some other types.

It depends on personal preference and the nature of the beverage. Tumblers with lids might be more practical to prevent spills.