blip
noun · verb
Simple meaning
A brief and usually minor aberration or deviation from what is expected or normal.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
blipIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈblɪp
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
by extension
A brief and usually minor aberration or deviation from what is expected or normal.
A short sound of a single pitch, usually electronically generated.
electronics
A small dot registered on electronic equipment, such as a radar or oscilloscope screen.
verb
intransitive
To make a short beep sound.
intransitiveinformal
To change state abruptly, such as between off and on or dark and light, sometimes implying motion.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient (estimated)
- Frequency
- Rare
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A brief and usually minor aberration or deviation from what is expected or normal.
Used this way, blip is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It stays understated rather than dramatic. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Mild
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use blip
- “The market had one bad blip today.”noun
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “blip” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.