ENGLISH
REFERENCE

whoops

interj.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈhwups// UK //wˈuːps// whoops Slang

interj. something you say when you make a small, silly mistake or drop something by accident. It is a friendly way to show you did not mean to do it.

interj. used to express mild apology or surprise following a minor accident or mistake. Often functions as a standalone exclamation in informal speech.


SIMPLE

Whoops, I almost spilled my coffee on the table.

CONTEXTUAL

Whoops, I didn't realize I was on mute while I was talking to the team.

COMPLEX

The intern let out a quiet 'whoops' as the stack of papers slid off the desk and scattered across the floor, drawing a few sympathetic smiles from colleagues.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

Onomatopoetic.

Etymology 2

From whoop + -s.

Usage

Primarily used as an exclamation; when used as a noun, it refers to the sound or act of saying the word.

Pitfall

I did a whoops.Whoops, I made a mistake.While 'whoops' can be a noun, it is almost always used as an exclamation immediately after a mistake occurs.

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