sip
verb (used with object)
to drink (a liquid) a little at a time; take small tastes of.
sip
1 American
[sip]
/ sɪp /
verb (used with object)
-
sips,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sipped,
past participle, past
-
sipping
present participle
-
to drink (a liquid) a little at a time; take small tastes of.
He sipped the hot tea noisily.
-
to drink from a little at a time.
The bird sipped the flower.
-
to take in; absorb.
to sip knowledge at its source.
verb (used without object)
-
sips,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sipped,
past participle, past
-
sipping
present participle
noun
-
sips
plural
-
an instance of sipping; a small taste of a liquid.
One sip told me that the milk was sour.
-
a small quantity taken by sipping.
Take just a sip, not a gulp or a swallow.
SIP
2
American
sip
British
/ sɪp /
verb
noun
-
a small quantity of a liquid taken into the mouth and swallowed
-
an act of sipping
Synonym Usage
See drink.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
sipsimple
-
sipssimple
-
have sippedperfect
-
has sippedperfect
-
am sippingprogressive
-
are sippingprogressive
-
is sippingprogressive
-
have been sippingperfect progressive
-
has been sippingperfect progressive
Past
-
sippedsimple
-
had sippedperfect
-
was sippingprogressive
-
were sippingprogressive
-
had been sippingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sip
1350–1400; Middle English sippen (v.), akin to Low German sippen to sip
Explanation
When you drink a small amount of something, you sip it. If your cocoa is extremely hot, you should probably sip it until it cools off a little bit. You may sit in a corner and sip your punch at a dull party, but when your long hike leaves you parched, it's hard to sip from your water bottle instead of guzzling. As a noun sip means "small drink," like a sip of Coke or a sip of soup. The origin of sip isn't clear, though we know it's related to the Old English supan, "take into the mouth a little at a time."
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:
Water is your best option if you’re looking for something to sip alongside your meals.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026
Savory cocktails have become de rigueur in recent years, and if we’re willing to sip olive or oyster brine, why not try some broth in your drink?
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
His modern vino de cocos may not exactly be the sort of spirit you’d want to sip at leisure, like mezcal or tequila.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
Perhaps the most common hydration-focused products available are the smart water bottles that remind you to take a sip throughout the day.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
He takes his last sip, then holds his can out to me.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
The ratings provided for each SIP intervention were applied subjectively based on discussions with experts, literature research, and modelling.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 22, 2023
A reposado cocuy from brand La Capilla, made in Siquisique in Lara, won double gold medals at both the SIP Awards in the United States and the China Wine & Spirits Competition in 2022.
From Reuters ● Feb. 27, 2023
SIP termination is a process by which a phone call is sent from one provider to another.
From Washington Times ● Feb. 17, 2023
The crackdown was confirmed by friends and family of some of the targets, including the SIP Café Club from Mandalay.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 31, 2022
SIP sop stir-up Toorak small beer do si la sol fa me re do Nip nap wash down chops nacks oh! dear.
From The Eureka Stockade by Raffaello Carboni
Fortunately, she let me have only a couple sips.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Poornima, a salt pan worker, sips black tea during the day -- saying the hot drink induces sweating in the dry weather to cool the body.
From Barron's ● May 10, 2026
"You take big sips and get them down you," Keilly says.
From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026
This coffee had me feeling energized and wide awake first thing in the morning, only after a few sips.
From Salon ● Nov. 6, 2025
He listened to Dean and took small sips of coffee.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
Over the past several months, I’ve cooked, grilled, smoked, sipped and served my way through a wide range of products perfect for summer gatherings.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
Rodriguez embraced the culture as he sipped a complimentary can of Coca-Cola -- one of around a dozen he had hoarded to share with his family also attending the game.
From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026
Standing at the counter next to a crew of workmen, I sipped a latte and munched on a pastry as the smell of espresso and the sound of Italian greetings swirled around me.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026
As she sipped a coffee, she reflected on those 21-year-old aspirations.
From BBC ● May 2, 2026
He sipped his tea and gazed at the beautiful sky.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
“I’m not really the kind of person that would take a selfie,” she says, sipping tea with honey.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
We would be sipping ice-cold spritzes at cafés overlooking the Mediterranean, frolicking down cobblestone streets lined with charming boutiques, and marveling at the frescoes and marble sculptures adorning grand cathedrals.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
I watch office workers walk off mid-bite, sipping from paper cups of milk tea.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
A quintessential cool dad casually sipping on an iced Diet Coke as he shares anecdotes about his passion for acting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
Stewart quickly wolfed down the four doughnuts and while he was sipping coffee he pulled out a guitar and played.
From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt
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.
