slip-up
noun
a mistake, blunder, or oversight.
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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
Great Britain's Katie Boulter avoided an early slip-up at the French Open as she ground out a gruelling first-round win over American wildcard Akasha Urhobo.
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
Nixon also makes a notable slip-up in one of the speech’s key moments.
From Barron's ● May 7, 2026
The authors suggest approaching each slip-up with curiosity rather than judgment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
“Noxzema is disgusting,” Maya said, ignoring Lauren’s slip-up.
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
With nine minutes left at Dens Park on Sunday, it appeared as if Celtic were going to slip up again in what has been a hugely frustrating season for the defending Scottish Premiership champions.
From BBC ● Apr. 5, 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
He waits for Helene to slip up, taking note of the aggression in her strokes.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
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.
