flipped; flipping; flips
1
: to toss so as to cause to turn over in the air
flip a coin
flip a pancake
2
a
: to cause to turn and especially to turn over
flipped the car
flipping the pages of a book
b
: to move with a small quick motion
flip a switch
c
: to turn (something) on or off with a switch
flip on/off the lights
d
: to change or move through (channels, stations, etc.) quickly
flipping channels with the remote control
3
: to buy and usually renovate (real estate) so as to quickly resell at a higher price
He's flipped three houses for a substantial profit.
4
: to cause or persuade (a witness) to cooperate in prosecuting a criminal case against an associate
… wrote that the … probe seemed to have reached the stage where investigators are in the process of flipping witnesses.—
Nancy LeTourneau
Nancy LeTourneau1
: to make a twitching or flicking movement
the fish flipped and flopped on the deck
2
a
: to turn or roll from one side to the other : turn over
The crab had flipped onto its back.
The car flipped over.
b
: to do a somersault in the air : to do a flip
He flipped off the diving board.
3
a
: to change from one state, position, subject, etc., to another
The job market flipped from hot to cold.
The commercial flipped back and forth between scenes of country life and city life.
b
: to change or move through channels, pages, etc.
He sat on the couch flipping through the channels.
flip to another station
flip through the pages of a magazine
c
: to cooperate in the prosecution of a criminal case against an associate
Before sentencing, two more members defected …. And, soon after receiving his 45-year sentence in May 1989, Leonetti flipped, too.—Marguerite Del Giudice
Marguerite Del Giudice4
slang
a
: to lose one's reason or composure
She completely flipped when she heard about her son's accident.
see also flip one's lid, flip out
b
: to become very enthusiastic
1
: a mixed drink usually consisting of a sweetened spiced liquor with beaten eggs
2
: an act or instance of flipping
3
: the motion used in flipping
4
: a somersault especially in the air
5
: a holder for a collectible coin made of vinyl or cardboard with a plastic window and often having a sleeve in which to place an identifying insert
Phrases
flip the script
informal
: to achieve an outcome or adopt an approach that is opposite to or completely different from what has happened or been done previously
Now, having won three of the last nine majors, Mickelson has flipped the script on Woods.—Alan Shipnuck
Alan Shipnuck… the chance to flip the script, to go from 0-6 with a chance to finish the second half of the year 5-1, is motivating Nebraska players this week.—Steve Batterson
Steve BattersonIf you let your inner critic do all the talking, of course she's going to chip away at your self-esteem. Make a conscious choice to flip the script for the next week and see how dramatically it alters your outlook.—Petra Guglielmetti
Petra GuglielmettiSynonyms
Examples of flip in a Sentence
Verb
She was sitting in the waiting room, flipping the pages of a magazine.
His car flipped over on the interstate.
Noun
the flip of a coin
She turned on the lights with the flip of a switch.
Adjective
made some flip comment about the marriage between the old man and the considerably younger woman
Recent Examples on the WebJessica Nix / Bloomberg, TIME, 25 Apr. 2024
In describing the project Musk painted a picture of flipping a switch to turn millions of Teslas around the world into self-driving cars.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2024
After buying that larger house in 2015 for $6.4 million, White flipped the place two years later for $6.7 million to Shark Tank judge Robert Herjavec, who eventually sold the house at a loss to its current owner, a non-famous businessman.
—James McClain, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2024
All About Jamie Lynn Spears' Daughter Maddie In February 2017, Maddie was in a near-fatal ATV accident when her vehicle flipped over into a pond.
—Ilana Frost, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024
But that December, on early signing day, Nicholson flipped at the last minute to Mississippi State.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Mook, who works in a mental health practice, is one of those voters who flipped.
—Don Gonyea, NPR, 13 Apr. 2024
Haynes wanted to know how Butler flipped the switch, seemingly at will, whenever the playoffs were on the horizon.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2024
Still, when asked about the national economy, Wisconsin voters flip those numbers around.
—Paul Kane, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024
Lauren Goode, WIRED, 23 Apr. 2024
But the Heat won’t need to be involved in a coin flip to break the tie between the teams to determine draft slots because the Kings and Warriors lost in the play-in tournament and did not make the playoffs.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2024
The concept involved a simple coin flip, but taken to astronomic heights as the object fell all the way from near space to Earth.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024
In Ruscha’s flip, his monochromatic Blue Collar paintings of industrial buildings from 1992 are shown against new paintings of those same buildings two decades on, rendered in candy colors and plastered with signage from Chinese conglomerates or surrounded by security fences.
—Michael Slenske, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
Correctly choosing every winner on a coin flip gives contestants odds of 1 in 9.2 quintillion.
—Brian Bushard, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Earlier research shows that, when asked to choose between two items, dogs pick the correct one about half the time — no better than a coin flip.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024
PartyNextDoor’s relationships with women over the years have inspired his moody tunes, but his latest visual flips the script depicting how some females might take advantage of men.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 20 Mar. 2024
Porter’s decision to run for Senate against fellow Democratic Reps. Adam B. Schiff and Barbara Lee meant the swing-district House seat would be vacant, setting up an expensive race for Democrats — and a potential flip for Republicans — as each side fights for control of Congress.
—Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2024
Twinkling lights lined the ceiling of her office; a small flip book depicting various emotions was opened to a page with a purple creature gritting its teeth and holding up its fists in frustration.
—Ariel Gilreath, USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
Clarks Breeze Sea Flip Flop $31 What swimsuit is complete without flip flops?
—Bianca Lambert, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024
The cabinet features three flip drawers, each with enough space for three pairs of shoes and up to nine total in the units.
—Ali Faccenda, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2024
Along with the tank and denim, the singer rocked a fresh haircut, her dark brown tresses falling around shoulder length, with the ends curled in a tousled take on the ‘60s-esque flip hairstyle.
—Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024
But like many a flip statement that strikes a deep societal nerve, the toast comment took off for a reason.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024
Nubia Flip Arrives With A Competitive Price Nubia has released its first flip smartphone at MWC and priced it aggressively to take on the mid-range with a folding portable smartphone—the Nubia Flip (also known as the Libero Flip for Japanese customers).
—Ewan Spence, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
With remote work more mainstream than ever, laptops and flip flops are sharing suitcase space.
—The Indianapolis Star, 8 Feb. 2024
Verb
Comprehensive policy change might help flip the downturn by contributing to financial stability and helping families raise their standard of living, Guzzo said.
—Jessica Nix / Bloomberg, TIME, 25 Apr. 2024
In describing the project Musk painted a picture of flipping a switch to turn millions of Teslas around the world into self-driving cars.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2024
After buying that larger house in 2015 for $6.4 million, White flipped the place two years later for $6.7 million to Shark Tank judge Robert Herjavec, who eventually sold the house at a loss to its current owner, a non-famous businessman.
—James McClain, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2024
All About Jamie Lynn Spears' Daughter Maddie In February 2017, Maddie was in a near-fatal ATV accident when her vehicle flipped over into a pond.
—Ilana Frost, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024
But that December, on early signing day, Nicholson flipped at the last minute to Mississippi State.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Mook, who works in a mental health practice, is one of those voters who flipped.
—Don Gonyea, NPR, 13 Apr. 2024
Haynes wanted to know how Butler flipped the switch, seemingly at will, whenever the playoffs were on the horizon.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2024
Still, when asked about the national economy, Wisconsin voters flip those numbers around.
—Paul Kane, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024
Noun
So forecasting out too far ends up being probably no better than a coin flip.
—Lauren Goode, WIRED, 23 Apr. 2024
But the Heat won’t need to be involved in a coin flip to break the tie between the teams to determine draft slots because the Kings and Warriors lost in the play-in tournament and did not make the playoffs.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2024
The concept involved a simple coin flip, but taken to astronomic heights as the object fell all the way from near space to Earth.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024
In Ruscha’s flip, his monochromatic Blue Collar paintings of industrial buildings from 1992 are shown against new paintings of those same buildings two decades on, rendered in candy colors and plastered with signage from Chinese conglomerates or surrounded by security fences.
—Michael Slenske, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
Correctly choosing every winner on a coin flip gives contestants odds of 1 in 9.2 quintillion.
—Brian Bushard, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Earlier research shows that, when asked to choose between two items, dogs pick the correct one about half the time — no better than a coin flip.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024
PartyNextDoor’s relationships with women over the years have inspired his moody tunes, but his latest visual flips the script depicting how some females might take advantage of men.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 20 Mar. 2024
Porter’s decision to run for Senate against fellow Democratic Reps. Adam B. Schiff and Barbara Lee meant the swing-district House seat would be vacant, setting up an expensive race for Democrats — and a potential flip for Republicans — as each side fights for control of Congress.
—Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Adjective
In the tradition of so many pregnant people before her, Sofia Richie Grainge has left the house in a pair of flip flops and an elasticated smock dress.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2024
Twinkling lights lined the ceiling of her office; a small flip book depicting various emotions was opened to a page with a purple creature gritting its teeth and holding up its fists in frustration.
—Ariel Gilreath, USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
Clarks Breeze Sea Flip Flop $31 What swimsuit is complete without flip flops?
—Bianca Lambert, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024
The cabinet features three flip drawers, each with enough space for three pairs of shoes and up to nine total in the units.
—Ali Faccenda, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2024
Along with the tank and denim, the singer rocked a fresh haircut, her dark brown tresses falling around shoulder length, with the ends curled in a tousled take on the ‘60s-esque flip hairstyle.
—Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024
But like many a flip statement that strikes a deep societal nerve, the toast comment took off for a reason.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024
Nubia Flip Arrives With A Competitive Price Nubia has released its first flip smartphone at MWC and priced it aggressively to take on the mid-range with a folding portable smartphone—the Nubia Flip (also known as the Libero Flip for Japanese customers).
—Ewan Spence, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
With remote work more mainstream than ever, laptops and flip flops are sharing suitcase space.
—The Indianapolis Star, 8 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near flip
Cite this Entry
“Flip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flip. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
flip
1 of 3 verb
flipped; flipping
1
: to turn by tossing
flip a coin
2
: to turn over quickly
flip the pages of a magazine
3
: flick entry 2 sense 1
flip a switch
4
: to get excited or angry
you'll flip when you hear this
flip
2 of 3 noun1
: an act or instance of flipping
2
: a somersault especially in the air
flip
3 of 3 adjective
: flippant
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