1 B1 idiomatic informal
To suddenly become very angry or upset and lose emotional control.
"He completely flipped out when he found out someone had scratched his car."
flip out
B1 informal intransitive
To suddenly lose control of one's emotions, either through anger, excitement, or shock.
In plain English
To suddenly go crazy with excitement or anger — like totally losing your cool.
What does "flip out" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic informal
To react with extreme excitement or enthusiasm.
"The fans completely flipped out when the band came back on stage for the encore."
3 B2 idiomatic informal
To have a mental breakdown or sudden episode of irrational behavior.
"She was under so much pressure that she eventually flipped out and couldn't go back to work."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To flip (turn upside down) out of one's normal state — the metaphor is of being mentally turned over.
Actually means
To suddenly go crazy with excitement or anger — like totally losing your cool.
Usage tip
Very common in spoken American English. Can be used for both negative (anger, panic) and positive (extreme excitement) emotional reactions. Informal and energetic in tone.
Words that pair with "flip out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
news result mistake surprise reaction crowd
How to conjugate "flip out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
flip out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
flips out
he/she/it
Past simple
fliped out
yesterday
Past participle
fliped out
have + pp
-ing form
fliping out
continuous
Hear "flip out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "flip out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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