backflip
Americannoun
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backflips
plural
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a backward somersault.
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a dive executed by somersaulting backward.
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Informal. a complete reversal in attitude or policy.
Some committee members did sudden backflips, urging spending cuts instead of expanded programs.
verb (used without object)
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of backflip
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
In the bond world that is grandma doing a backflip off the garage roof.
From MarketWatch ● May 21, 2026
There are various types of flips that have unique names that don't spell out exactly what the trick contains - including wildcat, tamedog, backflip, frontflip, rodeo, backside rodeo and corked spin.
From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2026
He did perform his trademark backflip toward the end, but the showman move drew far fewer technical points.
From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026
Bonaly told the Associated Press this week it was great to see the backflip return to the Olympics because skating needs to be taken to a higher level.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2026
Lloyd did a backflip and lit on Tansy.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
Increasingly dexterous robots have proven themselves capable of performing choreographed dances, participating in races, and even able to land backflips.
From Barron's ● May 29, 2026
Figure skating has a long, complicated relationship with backflips, which were ruled illegal almost immediately after someone did one at the 1976 Games.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 10, 2026
The ascent of Benson Boone, with his mustache and his backflips, suggests that Jackman may yet find inheritors to carry on the tradition he himself was bequeathed by Diamond and the rest.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2025
But "the backflips on working from home and his uncertainty over public service cuts," complicated his message, according to John Warhurst, Emeritus Professor, Australian National University.
From BBC ● May 3, 2025
My stomach is doing backflips and somersaults and cartwheels all at the same time.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
The closest it has come to the Games was when Fotheringham memorably performed in the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Paralympics, when he rode down a giant ramp and backflipped through a flaming hoop.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2025
To collect weevils en masse, Dr. Painting held an ice cream container under the tree, waved her hand, and watched as the weevils simultaneously backflipped into the container.
From New York Times ● Aug. 13, 2021
The gold medalist Olympian casually backflipped and tossed a strike over the plate in front of 40,000 people.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 23, 2019
When Spotify backflipped on its conduct policy, it released a statement: “We don’t aim to play judge and jury ... our role is not to regulate artists.”
From The Guardian ● Jan. 31, 2019
Feste backflipped out and Ella thumped them again, but faster this time.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Chinese humanoid pioneer Unitree, whose backflipping robots wowed the world this year, made a much-anticipated market debut in Shanghai on Wednesday with a similarly impressive leap in share price of more than 600 percent.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
Since the last Olympics, this jumping, spinning, backflipping sensation had lorded over figure skating.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026
He amassed nearly 400 videos showing great apes and other primates engaged in spinning behaviors, including somersaulting, rolling down hills, backflipping and pirouetting.
From New York Times ● Apr. 26, 2023
Boston Dynamics created internet buzz with videos of its humanoid robots running, jumping, backflipping and dancing.
From Reuters ● Sep. 20, 2022
A champion volleyball player in high school, she knew she could do a backflipping “moonsault” like Lita, but she didn’t see herself glammed up for the cameras.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 9, 2018
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
