1 B2 idiomatic informal
(Australian English) To fail to get something or to be unlucky; to miss out.
"I was first in the queue but they ran out of tickets — I really dipped out."
dip out
B2 informal intransitive
To fail to get something or be unlucky (Australian English); or to leave a place quickly and quietly.
In plain English
To not get something you wanted, or to quietly sneak away from somewhere.
What does "dip out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To leave a place quietly and unobtrusively, often without telling others.
"The meeting was running long so he dipped out early."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To dip (briefly enter) and then come out again.
Actually means
To not get something you wanted, or to quietly sneak away from somewhere.
Usage tip
The 'miss out / be unlucky' sense is distinctly Australian English. The 'leave quietly' sense is found more broadly in American informal use. Context matters for determining which sense is intended.
Words that pair with "dip out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
deal chance opportunity meeting party early
How to conjugate "dip out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
dip out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
dips out
he/she/it
Past simple
diped out
yesterday
Past participle
diped out
have + pp
-ing form
diping out
continuous
Hear "dip out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "dip out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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