Word
oops
US/ˈups/
UK/ˈuːps/
Definitions
01acknowledging a mistake
interj. you say this when you make a small mistake, drop something, or have a minor accident.
interj. used to acknowledge a minor lapse, clumsy action, or unintentional mistake.
“Oops, I didn't mean to spill my coffee on your desk.”
“Oops, I seem to have sent that confidential email to the entire department by mistake.”
Informal
Usage
Often used as a standalone exclamation immediately after the event.
Teaching tip
This is very common in spoken English but should be avoided in formal writing or professional apologies where 'I apologize' or 'my apologies' is better.
Synonyms
02a minor error
n. a small mistake or a minor problem.
n. a minor blunder or an unforeseen difficulty, often used lightheartedly.
“The typo in the headline was a bit of an oops for the newspaper.”
“The scheduling conflict was a major oops that left the keynote speaker waiting at the airport for an hour.”
Informal
Usage
Usually functions as a countable noun.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/oops