slip-up
noun
a mistake, blunder, or oversight.
slip-up
American
[slip-uhp]
/ ˈslɪpˌʌp /
noun
slip up
British
verb
-
informal to make a blunder or mistake; err
-
to fall over
he slipped up in the street
noun
slip up
Idioms
Etymology
Origin of slip-up
First recorded in 1850–55; noun use of verb phrase slip up
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.
Nixon also makes a notable slip-up in one of the speech’s key moments.
From Barron's • May 7, 2026
Instead, the bit reduced a palpable slight to just another funny slip-up.
From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026
The authors suggest approaching each slip-up with curiosity rather than judgment.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
England may have dodged an embarrasing slip-up here, but will be aware things are not going to get any easier.
From BBC • Oct. 15, 2025
Kelsea has email access on her phone, but I’m still worried about anything being traced, especially after my slip-up with Nathan.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
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.
