Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

slip-up

American  
[slip-uhp] / ˈslɪpˌʌp /

noun

  1. a mistake, blunder, or oversight.

    Several slip-ups caused a delay in the delivery of the books.
    Synonyms:
    bungle, lapse, error
slip up British  

verb

  1. informal to make a blunder or mistake; err

  2. to fall over

    he slipped up in the street
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. informal a mistake, blunder, or mishap

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
slip up Idioms  

  1. Make a mistake, blunder, as in I slipped up and gave the invitations to the wrong people. [Mid-1800s]

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.

The authors suggest approaching each slip-up with curiosity rather than judgment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

France's only slip-up in qualifying came in a draw in Iceland last month, although they have rarely found their fluid best during a low-key campaign.

From Barron's • Nov. 13, 2025

Inevitably, some minor slip-up or misspeak would send us into debilitating, tear-filled laughter.

From Salon • Dec. 19, 2024

The odd slip-up over the football isn’t the end of the world.

From BBC • May 24, 2024

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.