verb
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informal to make a blunder or mistake; err
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to fall over
he slipped up in the street
noun
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informal a mistake, blunder, or mishap
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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
Kihara said that he had been "feeling really down" and blamed himself for the slip-up, conceding: "We did not think we would win."
From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026
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
“Noxzema is disgusting,” Maya said, ignoring Lauren’s slip-up.
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
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.