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: to hoist (a topmast) far enough to enable the fid to be withdrawn preparatory to housing or lowering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
The Athletic's Liverpool Staff, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
Perry, as well as the other women on the launch, faced criticism for their brief 11-minute trip into space.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trip
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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
Slot even admitted that Liverpool had spent the day before the trip to Brentford preparing for Michael Kayode’s long throws.
—The Athletic's Liverpool Staff, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
Perry, as well as the other women on the launch, faced criticism for their brief 11-minute trip into space.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 11 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 12 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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