flip-flop
Americannoun
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flip-flops
plural
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Informal. a sudden or unexpected reversal, as of direction, belief, attitude, or policy.
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a backward somersault.
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Also called flip-flop circuit. Electronics. an electronic circuit having two stable conditions, each one corresponding to one of two alternative input signals.
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any of several similar devices having two alternative states, the change of state being caused by some input signal or by some change of input.
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the sound and motion of something flapping, as a windblown shutter; a banging to and fro.
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any backless, usually open-toed flat shoe or slipper.
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a flat, backless rubber sandal, usually secured on the foot by a thong between the first two toes, as for use at a beach, swimming pool, etc.
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(in advertising) a display or presentation, usually on an easel, consisting of a series of pages hinged at the top and flipped over in sequence.
adverb
verb (used without object)
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flip-flops,
present (3rd person singular)
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flip-flopped,
past participle, past
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flip-flopping
present participle
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Informal. to make a sudden or unexpected reversal, as of direction, belief, attitude, or policy.
The opposition claimed that the president had flip-flopped on certain issues.
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to execute a backward somersault.
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to flap; bang to and fro.
The door flip-flopped in the high wind.
noun
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a backward handspring
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Also called: bistable. an electronic device or circuit that can assume either of two stable states by the application of a suitable pulse
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informal a complete change of opinion, policy, etc
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a repeated flapping or banging noise
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Also called (US, Canadian, Austral, and NZ): thong. a rubber-soled sandal attached to the foot by a thong between the big toe and the next toe
verb
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informal to make a complete change of opinion, policy, etc
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to move with repeated flaps
adverb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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flip-flopsimple
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flip-flopssimple
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have flip-floppedperfect
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has flip-floppedperfect
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am flip-floppingprogressive
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are flip-floppingprogressive
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is flip-floppingprogressive
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have been flip-floppingperfect progressive
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has been flip-floppingperfect progressive
Past
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flip-floppedsimple
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had flip-floppedperfect
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was flip-floppingprogressive
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were flip-floppingprogressive
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had been flip-floppingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of flip-flop
First recorded in 1655–65
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:
“It almost feels like we’re not being taken seriously as human beings with needs. Like, we’re just being taken through this crazy obstacle course where they have all these rules that flip-flop on us.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
“The flip-flop developments in US-China tariffs war have added volatility to the market, further fueling trading activity.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2025
Overall, this might look like a wild flip-flop: A popular and widely sold supplement with some science behind it just doesn’t seem to work.
From Slate ● Jun. 20, 2025
The crane was first used to lower the flip-flop from its position.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2024
My stomach did a little flip-flop just thinking about all that music.
From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin
Just three years ago, Kioshi employed nearly 120 people and produced 40,000 pairs of sneaker and flip-flops a month in the south of Buenos Aires.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
At the three-year-old JNcQUOI Beach Club, you’re more likely to see people dressed in designer swimsuits holding expensive raffia totes than in the area’s usual uniform of linen shirts and flip-flops.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
That one guy who lives ’round the corner who has three pet ferrets and wears flip-flops all year long.
From Slate ● Aug. 12, 2026
Wakeley describes flip-flops as one of the few definite "no" items in most offices.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
He was wearing flip-flops, and I’d never seen him in those stupid things.
From "All American Boys" by Jason Reynolds
But, thanks to the pandemic, demand for aircraft seats has flip-flopped dramatically of late.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2024
If Roberts flip-flopped Freeman and Smith, the Dodgers would go right-left-right-left-right in the first five spots, with Teoscar Hernández batting fifth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2024
The player who flip-flopped between promising and problematic during an eventful 2019 seems to have taken coach Mike Tomlin’s late-season mantra “scared money don’t make money” quite literally.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 11, 2024
The governor has flip-flopped on one highly inconsequential matter: how to pronounce his name.
From New York Times ● May 24, 2023
As I walked down the stairs, my stomach flip-flopped like a fish out of water.
From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez
After the initial flip-flopping on whether the government would be able to exempt more prisoners, the mother of PC Harper told BBC Breakfast that the handling of the situation had been a "hash".
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
You write about companies flip-flopping on DEI and also the lack of women advancing in Wall Street.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 21, 2026
"We lost a lot of public trust because of some of the flip-flopping advice."
From Salon ● Dec. 29, 2024
Jessica Hoff Berzac, president of UPholdings, which developed the project in partnership with Self-Help Enterprises, said she has been frustrated by the flip-flopping by officials, who initially supported the plans.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 20, 2024
Then I hold Boo’s hand and we follow Lou Ann’s flip-flopping shoes up the stairs, closing the gate behind us.
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
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.
