flip out

verb

flipped out; flipping out; flips out

intransitive verb

informal
: to lose one's reason or composure
She's going to flip out when she sees the great present I got her!
"We were flipping out [from worry] and crying," Yvonne White said. "It was just getting worse and worse."Sydney Page
especially : to become very angry
… he flipped out on the server when they messed up his wife's order. Ajani Bazile

transitive verb

informal
: to cause (someone) to lose reason or composure
But it wasn't until he saw a homemade e-bike in the back of a neighbor's pickup truck about five years ago that he truly fell in love. "It flipped me out. It looked like a tiny motorcycle," [Andrew] Willner said.Lissa Harris
"I fell asleep with my makeup on, and when I woke up, my eyes were swollen shut from an allergic reaction to the silver paint. I couldn't see a thing, and it flipped me out."Ace Frehley

Examples of flip out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web So not to flip out Shanghai for a different Chinese venue but to look at Shanghai and another Chinese venue. Maury Brown, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 The ends of the pony were dramatically flipped out for a vintage vibe, a fun contrast against her super-modern dress. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 16 Jan. 2024 Then, the legs flip out perpendicular to the machine's bottom edge and provide stability. Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 6 Oct. 2023 Feeling bad about flipping out can be a good thing, Dr. Kecmanovic says. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 4 Jan. 2024 But that means the system is more likely to flip out of (101) and into (010) than the other way around. Joseph Calamia, Discover Magazine, 19 Nov. 2019 Currently on sale for 38% off, this couch flips out into a lounger that kids 18 months and up can nap or play on. Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Parents, 13 Dec. 2023 Parted a bit off-center, her hair is flipped out and away from her face in voluminous swoops, much like the blowouts that were popular in the '70s. Marci Robin, Allure, 24 Nov. 2023 It’s been about a month since the internet flipped out over Taylor Lautner‘s viral moment at a screening for Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour film. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 8 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flip out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flip out was circa 1959

Dictionary Entries Near flip out

Cite this Entry

“Flip out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flip%20out. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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