English · Word Candidate

oops

/uːps/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: oopses · oopsing · oopsed

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Used to acknowledge a small mistake or accident.

InterjectionRegister: informal

Oops! I left the lid off the ketchup.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

Used to indicate mild surprise or shock.

InterjectionRegister: informal

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

A minor mistake or unforeseen difficulty.

Noun

It's an oops, but one that's your fault, not your puppy's.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

To make a mistake; to blunder.

VerbRegister: colloquial

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

What does “oops” mean?

Used to acknowledge a small mistake or accident.

Is “oops” formal or informal?

oops is generally informal.