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oops
interjection
—used typically to express mild apology, surprise, or dismay
Examples of oops in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But when her paramour and his (oops) wife turn up dead, Vera ends up at the center of a murder investigation and eventually something far more sinister.
—The Editors, Town & Country, 1 Dec. 2022
Before anybody gets carried away here — oops, too late?
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 Oct. 2020
That gives Facebook and Oculus a great opportunity to announce in the very near future that—oops, whaddya know—they've stopped producing all existing hardware.
—Sam MacHkovech, Ars Technica, 20 Aug. 2020
Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon, and Jessica Biel Casually Broke into a House While on Vacation
Uh, oops?
—Bridget Dufour, Marie Claire, 26 July 2017
Only three even had the Cavs in the Finals, the same as had -- oops -- Toronto.
—Bill Livingston, cleveland.com, 8 May 2017
Oops. Melinda Henneberger is a Star opinion page writer.
—Melinda Henneberger, kansascity, 12 May 2017
The expansion comes as a result of Chocolate Lab’s neighboring business not paying its taxes (oops!).
—Allyson Reedy, The Know, 26 Apr. 2017
The main character is a fun horse that continues to live at the end of the story (oops, spoiler alert!).
—Karen Chee, The New Yorker, 19 Apr. 2017
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Word History
First Known Use
1911, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near oops
Cite this Entry
“Oops.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oops. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
oops
interjection
variants
or whoops
ˈ(w)u̇(ə)ps
—used to express mild apology, surprise, or distress (as at spilling something or saying the wrong thing)
More from Merriam-Webster on oops
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for oops
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