trip

1 of 2

verb

ˈtrip 

tripped; tripping

intransitive verb

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 over

tripped 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

3

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

4

: 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 intransitive 1

transitive verb

1

a

: to cause to stumble

He deliberately tried to trip me.

—often used with up

I 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

also : expose

—usually used with up

The lawyer was trying to trip up the witness.

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: to hoist (a topmast) far enough to enable the fid to be withdrawn preparatory to housing or lowering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

see also:

trip the light fantastic

trip

2 of 2

noun

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

6

: error, misstep

A trip in one point would have spoiled all.

—John Berridge

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)

9

informal : scene, lifestyle

the whole superstar trip

Synonyms of trip

Verb

• jog
• trot
• run
• race
• hurry
• skip

Noun

• expedition
• journey
• trek
• excursion
• flight
• tour

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

Verb

McLean resumed running, then collided with Young's head, tripping over the first baseman as Crawford crossed the bag. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026

An older man to my right tripped and took a face-first dive across the pavement, glasses flying off his face. — Timothy Townsend, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

Noun

Very few shipments have made the trip since March, when Iran in effect shut the waterway. — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026

The World Health Organization defines a fall as an event in which a person inadvertently comes to rest on the ground, floor, or another lower level, so a same-level slip or trip may also qualify. — Matthew Kayser, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English trippen, from Anglo-French treper, triper, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English treppan to tread — more at trap

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Phrases Containing trip

• business trip
• day trip
• ego trip
• field trip
• guilt-trip
• lay/put a guilt trip on
• on a power trip
• power trip
• road trip
• roll/trip off the tongue
• round-trip
• round-trip ticket
• trip-hammer
• trip-hop
• trip the light fantastic
• trip up
• trip wire

Rhymes for trip

• blip
• chip
• clip
• dip
• drip
• flip
• grip
• grippe
• hip
• ip
• kip
• lip

Kids Definition

trip

1 of 2 noun

ˈtrip 

1

: 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

: error sense 4, misstep

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