flip side

noun

variants or less commonly flipside
plural flip sides also flipsides
1
: the reverse side of a phonograph record
[Taylor] Swift has an exclusive 7-inch single of "The Lakes" … On the flip side: "The Lakes (original version)," an orchestral take on the song not previously available on vinyl.Mike Snider
also : a song presented on the flip side of a record
The flip side of The Stone Poneys' "Different Drum" was the Pamela Polland composition "I've Got to Know." Warren Kurtz
2
: a reverse or opposite side, aspect, or result
The flipside of the disquieting inflation news is good news on the state of the economy …Paul Wiseman
Sixteen City Council members are stepping down, which means fresh faces and new ideas—but on the flip side, a huge loss of institutional knowledge about the basics of how the city operates …The Chicago Sun-Times

Examples of flip side in a Sentence

That song was on the flip side of their first single. Loss of privacy is the flip side of fame.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This report has a flip side—one that points out the safest states to traverse this summer. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2026 On the flip side, British petroleum giant BP’s profit more than doubled in the first quarter. Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026 This seems to be the cautionary tale, the flip side of fame. Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026 Houston, on the flip side, went 22-23. Dan Woike, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flip side

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flip side was in 1940

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Cite this Entry

“Flip side.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flip%20side. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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