flip

verb

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\ ˈflip

flipped; flipping

Definition of flip

(Entry 1 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to toss so as to cause to turn over in the air flip a coin flip a pancake also : toss flip me the ball flip one end of the scarf over your shoulder

2a : 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

intransitive verb

1 : to make a twitching or flicking movement the fish flipped and flopped on the deck

2a : 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.

3a : 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

4 slang

a : to lose one's mind or composure —often used with out The patient flipped out in manic behavior.She flipped out when she heard about her son's accident.

b : to become very enthusiastic

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 … 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 If 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

flip

noun

Definition of flip (Entry 2 of 3)

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

flip

adjective

Definition of flip (Entry 3 of 3)

: flippant, impertinent

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about flip

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Synonyms & Antonyms for flip

Synonyms: Verb

Synonyms: Adjective

Antonyms: Adjective

earnest,
sincere

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 Web: Verb Hospital records show that Miguel was given high-flow oxygen through a face mask and put in a bed that allowed hospital staff to flip him on his belly, boosting his oxygen level to 93%. — Marshall Allen, ProPublica, "“I Don’t Trust the People Above Me”: Riot Squad Cops Open Up About Disastrous Response to Capitol Insurrection," 23 Feb. 2021 In the cellphone video, which doesn’t capture the initial encounter, Quinto appears unresponsive as police flip him over onto his left side, revealing blood smeared on his mouth and a blood stain on the floor. — Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, "A mentally ill man died in Antioch police custody. Now his family is seeking answers," 18 Feb. 2021 Budding skin-care company Topicals, a brand formulated with chronic skin conditions top of mind, wanted to co-opt the Burn Book's psychological message and flip it on its head. — Cheryl Wischhover, Allure, "How the Founders of Topicals Built Beauty's Most Exciting New Brand," 27 Jan. 2021 The bidders who did win are stalking-horse bidders, planning to hold the leases and flip them to a bona fide oil company in the years to come. — Timothy Fitzgerald, National Review, "Alaska Auction Shows Oil and Gas Are in Trouble," 11 Jan. 2021 Two more months of relationship-building would allow the Buckeyes to join Arizona State and USC as suitors to flip him. — Stephen Means, cleveland, "What Raesjon Davis’ decommittment from LSU means for Ohio State football: Buckeyes Recruiting Roundup," 22 Dec. 2020 Or try having children reframe thoughts (state their worry, catch the negative thought and flip it into a realistic, more-positive thought). — Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, "As stay-at-home restrictions rise, here are ways to cope," 2 Dec. 2020 So our goal is to change what skincare means and flip it from a clinical perspective to a holistic one. — Olivia Harrison, refinery29.com, "How Primally Pure’s Founder Turned Her Hobby Into A Booming Skincare Business," 23 Nov. 2020 On the other hand, many families want to pass their home along to someone who will appreciate its qualities, its proximity to an elementary school or park, someone who is planning to live there rather than flip it for a quick buck. — J.k. Dineen, SFChronicle.com, "Writing a love letter to a home seller is a proven technique whose time might be past," 17 Nov. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Of course, there’s the flip-side: 50% have grown distraught about their work from a various financial, health and personal woes. — Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, "Pandemic Toll: More Than Half Of College Faculty Have Considered A Career Change Or Early Retirement," 26 Feb. 2021 One way to speed up this roster flip is to dip into the transfer portal: Arizona has added eight players via the portal, including former Northwestern running back Drake Anderson and Western Michigan linebacker Treshaun Hayward. — Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, "Pac-12 spring football preview: Oregon aims for the College Football Playoff," 24 Feb. 2021 However, whether this flip creates more permanent changes in policy, climate politics, and in the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions trajectory remains to be seen. — Josh Siegel, Washington Examiner, "Daily on Energy: A dramatic shift in the landscape," 1 Feb. 2021 This wide spatula has enough surface area to envelope the whole patty, making a single flip effortless, and is perfect for keeping your onions tucked under the patty. — Sunset Magazine, "If You Care at All About Burgers, You Need These 4 Essential Burger Tools," 25 Jan. 2021 The little flip down the sideline to Harris for a 26-yard touchdown came against a Browning blitz. — Nathan Baird, cleveland, "Explaining where Ohio State football’s defense actually went wrong against Alabama," 14 Jan. 2021 These cards are a simple, two-sided flip-book of essential drills, which are designed to fit in their flying suit pocket and be carried at all times. — John Hudson, Wired, "If You Are Going to Survive, You Must Prepare to Fail," 11 Jan. 2021 Joe Biden’s victory in Georgia was surely the most surprising red state flip in the 2020 presidential election. — James C. Cobb, Fortune, "Why a key Georgia country flipped from red to blue—and what it means for Democrats," 27 Dec. 2020 Discarded flip-flops hinted at panicked feet fleeing bullets. — New York Times, "To Fight or Hide: Fear Grips Myanmar With Military Back in Charge," 6 Feb. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective In a later scene, David will surprise Adele by gifting her a credit card and a flip phone. — Rose Maura Lorre, Vulture, "Behind Her Eyes Premiere Recap: Bizarre Love Triangle," 17 Feb. 2021 Schumer held on to his flip phone for years, only giving it up in 2017. — Emily Brooks, Washington Examiner, "Chuck Schumer's long and uneven road to Senate majority leader," 18 Jan. 2021 After all, Streit notes that people still buy flip phones today. — Julian Chokkattu, Wired, "The Future of Phone Design: Flexible Screens That Roll Up," 13 Jan. 2021 Its flip flops are sold at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, J.Crew, West Marine, Zappos, Whole Earth Provision Co. and Saint Bernard. — Maria Halkias, Dallas News, "Dallas-based Hari Mari hires former Billy Reid CEO to expand the flip flop brand into apparel," 13 Jan. 2021 The tree was topped with orange flip flops like those given to inmates. — Danielle Wallace, Fox News, "Alabama sheriff's office removes 'thugshots' Christmas tree post after 'death threats,' backlash," 8 Dec. 2020 For awhile, this stylish mini-computer made by Research in Motion signified that its user was important, connected and probably better off than anyone using flip phones or slide phones. — Ron Hurtibise, sun-sentinel.com, "From ‘must have’ to ‘don’t need’ — A fond farewell to Black Friday products we once loved | PHOTOS," 23 Nov. 2020 Last year, Samsung and Motorola made clamshell-shaped flip phones that opened up to look like normal smartphones. — Julian Chokkattu, Wired, "The Future of Phone Design: Flexible Screens That Roll Up," 13 Jan. 2021 These space-efficient models feature a spigot that makes pouring easy, along with a flip top lid to make refilling less of a chore. Give your home a New Year’s refresh with deals from Nordstrom Rack’s Happy Home Sale. — Chelsea Stone, CNN Underscored, "The best sales to shop today: Brita, Nordstrom Rack, The North Face and more," 5 Jan. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'flip.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.