tripped; tripping
1
: to catch the foot against something so as to stumble
2
: to make a mistake or false step (as in morality or accuracy)
3
a
: to dance, skip, or caper with light quick steps
b
: to walk with light quick steps
4
: to stumble in articulation when speaking
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 3b
1
a
: to cause to stumble
—often used with up
b
: to cause to fail : obstruct
—often used with up
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: to hoist (a topmast) far enough to enable the fid to be withdrawn preparatory to housing or lowering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
2
a
: an intense visionary experience undergone by a person who has taken a psychedelic drug (such as LSD)
b
: an exciting or unusual experience
the party was a trip
3
: absorption in or obsession with an interest, attitude, or state of mind
a guilt trip
on a nostalgia trip
4
: a faltering step caused by stumbling
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
Bianca Salonga, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Denver then countered a White-to-Kornet lob and a White 3-pointer on back-to-back Boston trips with consecutive threes from Braun and Murray, who was far more effective over the final three quarters.
—Zack Cox, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2025
Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2025
The number of bus trips last year totaled 33.3 million, a decline of nearly 6% from 2023.
—John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trip
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show current usage.
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Verb
Sure, trips to the salon for cut, color, treatment and styling provide some form of hair and scalp care, but only on a cosmetic level.
—Bianca Salonga, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Denver then countered a White-to-Kornet lob and a White 3-pointer on back-to-back Boston trips with consecutive threes from Braun and Murray, who was far more effective over the final three quarters.
—Zack Cox, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2025
Noun
Explore Kip Moore See latest videos, charts and news
In preparation, Moore has taken his annual trip to rejuvenate in Maui, a place he’s found respite since 2014.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2025
The number of bus trips last year totaled 33.3 million, a decline of nearly 6% from 2023.
—John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 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 13 Mar. 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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