Meaning & use
flip flops
Last updated
Meaning
nounplural
Light open sandals held on the foot by a V-shaped strap between the toes.
Grammar: Usually plural: 'a pair of flip-flops'. A single one is 'a flip-flop'.
Patterns
- wear flip-flops
- a pair of flip-flops
- put on flip-flops
She wore flip-flops to the beach.
I need to buy a new pair of flip-flops for the summer.
He kicked off his flip-flops and walked on the sand.
Word forms
| singular | flip-flop |
|---|
Common combinations
- a pair of flip-flops
- He packed a pair of flip-flops for the trip.
- wear flip-flops
- You can wear flip-flops in the shower.
- put on flip-flops
- Put on your flip-flops before you go outside.
- rubber flip-flops
- These rubber flip-flops are great for the pool.
Synonyms and how they differ
- thongs
- In Australian and some British English, 'thongs' means the same, but in American English 'thongs' usually refers to underwear.
- sandals
- A more general word for open shoes; flip-flops are a specific type with a toe strap.
Commonly confused: flip flops or flip-flop?
flip flops vs flip-flop
The singular form 'flip-flop' can also mean a sudden change of opinion or a type of electronic circuit. Context makes the meaning clear.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'flip-flops' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Flip-flops' is a plural noun, so it goes with 'pairs of' or 'a pair of'. Option 3 is correct because it says 'two pairs of flip-flops'. The other options use singular articles ('a') or wrong word order.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “flip flops”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.