tripped; tripping
1
: to catch the foot against something so as to stumble
Be careful of the step so you don't trip.
—often used with on or overtripped on the stairs
tripped over a curb
2
: to make a mistake or false step (as in morality or accuracy)
… we do not find him tripping even in a matter of detail.—
Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf3
a
: to dance, skip, or caper with light quick steps
The dancers tripped off the stage.
b
: to walk with light quick steps
He saw the girl leave her chair and trip swiftly across the floor to the newcomer.—Jack London
Jack London4
: to stumble in articulation when speaking
trip over a word
5
: to make a journey
6
a
: to actuate a mechanism
b
: to become operative
7
a
: to get high on a psychedelic drug (such as LSD) : turn on
—often used with out
b
slang
: freak sense vi 1
1
a
: to cause to stumble
He deliberately tried to trip me.
—often used with upI got tripped up by the wires on the floor.
b
: to cause to fail : obstruct
—often used with up
He tried to trip up the cashier as she counted his change.
2
: to detect in a misstep, fault, or blunder
3
: to release or operate (a mechanism) especially by releasing a catch or detent
trip the fire alarm
4
: to raise (an anchor) from the bottom so as to hang free
5
a
: to pull (a yard) into a perpendicular position for lowering
b
: to hoist (a topmast) far enough to enable the fid to be withdrawn preparatory to housing or lowering
6
archaic
: to perform (a dance) lightly or nimbly
1
a
: voyage, journey
took a trip around the world
They went on a day trip [=a journey that involves returning home the same day] to the beach.
She is away on a business trip. [=is traveling as part of her work]
see also field trip, road trip, round trip
b
: a short journey to a store, business, etc., for a particular purpose
a trip to the dentist's office
a trip to the store for milk
2
a
: an intense visionary experience undergone by a person who has taken a psychedelic drug (such as LSD)
b
informal + somewhat old-fashioned
: an exciting or unusual experience
The party was a trip.
3
: absorption in or obsession with an interest, attitude, or state of mind
on a nostalgia trip
see also ego trip, guilt trip
4
: a faltering step caused by stumbling
an ankle injury caused by a trip
5
: a stroke or catch by which a wrestler is made to lose footing
7
: a quick light step
8
a
: the action of tripping mechanically
b
: a device for tripping a mechanism (such as a catch or detent)
Examples of trip in a Sentence
Verb
He deliberately tried to trip me.
The dancers tripped off the stage.
Noun
They got back from their trip yesterday.
a trip around the world
He was on an acid trip.
an ankle injury caused by a trip
Recent Examples on the Web
Jordan Moreau, Variety, 4 Nov. 2025
In between all of that, a botched tripping call early in the second quarter took a huge pass play off the board for Miami, which would have gotten the Dolphins inside Baltimore’s 10-yard line.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
This will be Isaacman's second trip down nomination lane.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trip
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
There are so many complicated character and spell names, did any of them trip you up while recording?
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 4 Nov. 2025
In between all of that, a botched tripping call early in the second quarter took a huge pass play off the board for Miami, which would have gotten the Dolphins inside Baltimore’s 10-yard line.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
Co-founder and CEO of Nvidia Jensen Huang spoke to journalists during a trip to Beijing in July.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
This will be Isaacman's second trip down nomination lane.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trip
Cite this Entry
“Trip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trip. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
trip
1 of 2 noun1
: an act of causing another to stumble or fall
2
a
: a traveling from one place to another : journey
a trip to Europe
b
: a brief errand or journey with a purpose that often takes place on a regular basis
a trip to the dentist
3
4
a
: a quick light step
b
: a faltering step : stumble
5
a
: the action of releasing something mechanically
b
: a device (as a catch) for releasing a mechanism
trip
2 of 2 verb
tripped; tripping
1
: to move (as in dancing or walking) with light quick steps
2
a
: to catch one's foot against something so as to stumble
don't trip over the rock
b
: to cause to stumble
someone must have tripped him
3
a
: to make or cause to make a mistake
b
: to catch making a false statement, error, or blunder
questions designed to trip her up
4
: to release or start a device usually by moving a catch
tripped the fire alarm
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