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• slip-up
  slip-up

  noun

  a mistake, blunder, or oversight.
• slip up
  slip up

  verb

  to make a blunder or mistake; err

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

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slip up British  

verb

1. informal to make a blunder or mistake; err

2. to fall over

   he slipped up in the street

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noun

1. informal a mistake, blunder, or mishap

slip up Idioms  

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

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Etymology

Origin of slip-up

First recorded in 1850–55; noun use of verb phrase slip up

Example Sentences

Arsenal are just three wins away from becoming Premier League champions for the first time since 2004, but can they avoid a slip-up against third-bottom West Ham on Sunday?

From BBC • May 7, 2026

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

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

Related Words

• err
• misconstrue
• misinterpret
• misjudge
• misread
• misunderstand
• overestimate
• overrate
• overvalue
• underestimate
• undervalue