English Reference

Word

whoops

US/ˈhwups/

UK/wˈuːps/

Definitions

01acknowledging a mistake

B1

interj. you say this when you make a small mistake, drop something, or have a minor accident.

interj. an exclamation used to acknowledge a minor slip, mistake, or clumsy act.

“Whoops, I didn't mean to spill my coffee on your desk.”

“Whoops, I seem to have sent that confidential email to the entire department by mistake.”

Informal

Usage

Typically used as a standalone exclamation immediately following a minor accident.

Synonyms

02making a loud cry

B2

v. to make a loud, excited shout or cry.

v. the third-person singular present form of 'whoop', meaning to utter a loud cry of excitement or joy.

“Every time the team scores, he whoops with joy.”

“The crowd whoops and cheers as the performer takes the stage for the final encore.”

Usage

The third-person singular form of the verb 'whoop'.

Antonyms

04to vomit

C2

v. to be sick or throw up.

v. to eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth.

“He had too much to drink and spent the night whoopsing.”

“After the rough boat ride, several passengers were whoopsing over the side of the deck.”

Slang · Informal

Teaching tip

This sense is very informal and potentially gross; learners should use 'be sick' or 'vomit' in most situations.

Synonyms

vomitthrow uppuke

Etymology

Onomatopoetic.

From whoop + -s.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference