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.
See Examples For:
Mrs. Biden mentions that episode as if it were a minor slip-up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
His only slip-up came on the short par-four third, where he badly overcooked his second and took three putts from 49 feet.
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2026
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
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
Your mother may rightly feel that, based on experience, people are waiting for her to slip up.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
But his poor missed touch-finder against Italy, with the clock in the red and a bonus point a real possibility, may prove costly if France slip up.
From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2026
"All we can do is be brave. Be in the neck of Arsenal and if they slip up, use it."
From Barron's ● Feb. 8, 2026
“It’s invisible until you slip up, and then it becomes visible,” McClary said.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 8, 2026
I slip up to the shed and lean against the outside wall.
From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick
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.
