dipped; dipping; dips
1
a
: to plunge or immerse momentarily or partially under the surface (as of a liquid) so as to moisten, cool, or coat
dip candles
b
: to thrust in a way to suggest immersion
c
: to immerse (an animal, such as a sheep or dog) in an antiseptic or parasiticidal solution
2
a
: to lift a portion of by reaching below the surface with something shaped to hold liquid : ladle
b
: to take a portion of (snuff)
4
a
: to lower and then raise again
dip a flag in salute
b
chiefly British
: dim sense 1
5
: to place a pinch of (tobacco) between the lip or cheek and gum
He quit dipping snuff, his only vice outside of an occasional beer.—
John Ed Bradley
John Ed Bradley1
a
: to plunge into a liquid and quickly emerge
b
: to immerse something into a processing liquid or finishing material
2
a
: to suddenly drop down or out of sight
b
of an airplane
: to drop suddenly before climbing
c
: to decline or decrease moderately and usually temporarily
prices dipped
d
: to lower the body momentarily especially as part of an athletic or dancing motion
3
: to withdraw a part of the contents of something by or as if by reaching down inside it
—used with into
dipped into his pocket for change
dipped into the family's savings
4
: to examine or read something casually or superficially
—used with into
dip into a book
5
: to incline downward from the plane of the horizon
6
: to use dipping tobacco : to place a pinch of tobacco between the lip or cheek and gum
Four years ago doctors removed a pre-cancerous lesion on the inside of his lower lip, and he can't quit dipping. His New Year's resolution was to quit. He lasted three days.—Rick Reilly
Rick Reilly7
US slang
: to leave especially suddenly or prematurely
I didn't know anyone at the party so I dipped.
—often used with outOn Saturday night, as I'm dipping out early on the decidedly tame afterparty …, I pass one of the models hired by E11even, the Miami nightclub.—Zoë Bernard
Zoë BernardSome actors dip out and pursue a new career while they're young, and others keep going until they can no longer find roles that interest them.—Kristen Harris
Kristen HarrisAmong the diverse crop of winners was Doja Cat, who took home her first ever Grammy in the pop category—which she had to sprint back to accept after dipping out of the gala for a bathroom break.—trtworld.com
trtworld.com"He's been there for me through my darkest times. I'm not just gonna dip out and abandon him when he needs me most."—Dillon Passage, quoted at vanityfair.com
Dillon Passage, quoted at vanityfair.com1
: an act of dipping
especially
: a brief plunge into the water for sport or exercise
a quick dip in the pool
2
3
: the angle formed with the horizon by a magnetic needle free to rotate in the vertical plane
4
: hollow, depression
a dip in the road
5
: something obtained by or used in dipping
a dip of ice cream
a dip of snuff
6
a
: a sauce or soft mixture into which food may be dipped
bean dip
b
: a liquid preparation for the dipping of something
especially
: an insecticide or parasiticide for the dipping of animals
a sheep dip
7
slang
: pickpocket
: a stupid or unsophisticated person
diploma
dual in-line package; dual in-line packaging
Synonyms
Verb
Noun (1)
- airhead
- birdbrain
- blockhead
- bonehead
- bubblehead
- chowderhead
- chucklehead
- clodpoll
- clodpole
- clot [British]
- cluck
- clunk
- cretin
- cuddy [British dialect]
- cuddie
- deadhead
- dim bulb [slang]
- dimwit
- dodo
- dolt
- donkey
- doofus [slang]
- dope
- dork [slang]
- dullard
- dum-dum
- dumbbell
- dumbhead
- dummkopf
- dummy
- dunce
- dunderhead
- fathead
- gander
- golem
- goof
- goon
- half-wit
- hammerhead
- hardhead
- idiot
- ignoramus
- imbecile
- jackass
- know-nothing
- knucklehead
- lamebrain
- loggerhead [chiefly dialect]
- loon
- lump
- lunkhead
- meathead
- mome [archaic]
- moron
- mug [chiefly British]
- mutt
- natural
- nimrod [slang]
- nincompoop
- ninny
- ninnyhammer
- nit [chiefly British]
- nitwit
- noddy
- noodle
- numskull
- numbskull
- oaf
- pinhead
- prat [British]
- ratbag [chiefly Australian]
- saphead
- schlub [slang]
- shlub
- schnook [slang]
- simpleton
- stock
- stupe
- stupid
- thickhead
- turkey
- woodenhead
- yahoo
- yo-yo
Noun (2)
Examples of dip in a Sentence
Verb
Use a ladle to dip some water out of the pot.
dipping water from a well
The sun dipped below the horizon.
The road dips over the hill.
I saw his head dip below the surface of the water.
Recent Examples on the WebHannah Jackson, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2024
Unfortunately for the Kings, their 3-point percentage has dipped from 39.4% to 36.3%.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 12 Apr. 2024
The palm is dipped in a nitrile coating to provide resistance to snags, cuts, and abrasions.
—Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024
In other words, dips in momentum will now happen within a steadier orbit.
—Talmon Joseph Smith, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Wholesale goods prices dipped 0.1% from February, pulled down by a 1.6% drop in energy prices.
—Paul Wiseman, Quartz, 11 Apr. 2024
While the company’s value has dipped in recent days, $5 billion is still a high price tag for a company that lost more than $58 million with a revenue of $4 million in 2023.
—Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
With more than 300 sunny days per year, daytime temps that rarely dip below 65, and an armada of resorts, Phoenix, Arizona is a great getaway for any group gathering that prioritizes pool time, day drinking, and a few rounds of golf.
—Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Apr. 2024
Across Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé honors pioneers — both celebrated and forgotten — within country music but also dips into rock, classical music, and opera.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2024
Kara Peeler, Sunset Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024
Shower chances diminish Friday night as winds remain breezy and lows dip to the upper 40s and low 50s.
—Dan Stillman, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024
The dip came as buyers moved to the light-vehicle market, which was up 5.6% during the same period.
—Owen Bellwood / Jalopnik, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024
This growth comes after a tough 2023 for Nikola that saw stock value dips, recalls and leadership changes.
—Detroit Free Press, 6 Apr. 2024
The downward trend compounded a dip that emerged in late 2022 as on-location filming in Los Angeles took a dive as studios pared back movie and TV production that surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
The best sleep sacks come out of the wash feeling softer or just as soft as before, with no pilling, tears, or dip in quality or color.
—Jessica Booth, Parents, 3 Apr. 2024
Even after Monday's dip, the stock has surged 178% this year.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2024
Visitors looking to take a swim can opt for saltwater beaches, like Sand Beach, or take a dip in the freshwater Echo Lake.
—Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2024
Verb
The Oscar winner dipped her toe into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2021, playing Thena in Chloé Zhao’s The Eternals.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2024
Unfortunately for the Kings, their 3-point percentage has dipped from 39.4% to 36.3%.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 12 Apr. 2024
The palm is dipped in a nitrile coating to provide resistance to snags, cuts, and abrasions.
—Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024
In other words, dips in momentum will now happen within a steadier orbit.
—Talmon Joseph Smith, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Wholesale goods prices dipped 0.1% from February, pulled down by a 1.6% drop in energy prices.
—Paul Wiseman, Quartz, 11 Apr. 2024
While the company’s value has dipped in recent days, $5 billion is still a high price tag for a company that lost more than $58 million with a revenue of $4 million in 2023.
—Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
With more than 300 sunny days per year, daytime temps that rarely dip below 65, and an armada of resorts, Phoenix, Arizona is a great getaway for any group gathering that prioritizes pool time, day drinking, and a few rounds of golf.
—Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Apr. 2024
Across Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé honors pioneers — both celebrated and forgotten — within country music but also dips into rock, classical music, and opera.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2024
Noun
In this fresh, easy spread, the chile-herb sauce serves as both a dip and a swirl-in for flavoring hummus.
—Kara Peeler, Sunset Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024
Shower chances diminish Friday night as winds remain breezy and lows dip to the upper 40s and low 50s.
—Dan Stillman, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024
The dip came as buyers moved to the light-vehicle market, which was up 5.6% during the same period.
—Owen Bellwood / Jalopnik, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024
This growth comes after a tough 2023 for Nikola that saw stock value dips, recalls and leadership changes.
—Detroit Free Press, 6 Apr. 2024
The downward trend compounded a dip that emerged in late 2022 as on-location filming in Los Angeles took a dive as studios pared back movie and TV production that surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
The best sleep sacks come out of the wash feeling softer or just as soft as before, with no pilling, tears, or dip in quality or color.
—Jessica Booth, Parents, 3 Apr. 2024
Even after Monday's dip, the stock has surged 178% this year.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2024
Visitors looking to take a swim can opt for saltwater beaches, like Sand Beach, or take a dip in the freshwater Echo Lake.
—Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English dippen, from Old English dyppan; akin to Old High German tupfen to wash, Lithuanian dubus deep
Noun (2)
back-formation from dippy
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun (1)
1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (2)
circa 1932, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of dip was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing dip
Dictionary Entries Near dip
Cite this Entry
“Dip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dip. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
dip
1 of 2 verb
dipped; dipping
1
: to sink or push briefly into or as if into a liquid
dip a towel in water
dips a hand into his pocket
2
: to lift out with something that holds liquid : ladle
dip water from a pail
3
: to lower and then raise again
dip a flag in salute
4
a
: to drop down into a liquid and quickly come out
oars dipping rhythmically
b
: to put something for treatment under the surface of a liquid
5
a
: to drop down or out of sight
the road dipped below the crest
b
: to decrease somewhat usually for a short time
prices dipped
6
: to reach down inside or as if inside especially to take out a part of the contents
dipped into their savings
7
: to look at or consider something briefly
especially
: to read a little of something
dip into a book
dip
2 of 2 noun1
: an act of dipping
especially
: a brief plunge into the water for sport or exercise
2
a
: a downward slope
b
: a sharp or slight downward course : drop
a dip in prices
3
: the angle formed with the horizon by a magnetic needle free to rotate in a vertical plane
4
: something obtained by or used in dipping
a dip of ice cream
5
a
: a sauce or soft mixture into which food (as raw vegetables) may be dipped
b
: a liquid into which something may be dipped (as for cleansing or coloring)
Medical Definition
dip
1 of 3 transitive verb
dipped; dipping
: to immerse (as a sheep or hog) in an antiseptic or parasiticidal solution
dip
2 of 3 noun1
: a liquid preparation of an insecticide, parasiticide, or fungicide which is applied to animals by immersing them in it
a sheep dip
2
: a vat or tank in which dip is used
DIP
3 of 3 abbreviation
distal interphalangeal
More from Merriam-Webster on dip
Nglish: Translation of dip for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of dip for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dip
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