# "Trippin" and "Triflin": these aren't synonyms are they? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 30, 2017, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trippin-and-triflin-these-arent-synonyms-are-they/805594 "2017-12-30T21:24:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carlotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trippin-and-triflin-these-arent-synonyms-are-they/805594/1 "2017-12-30T21:24:47Z")
At work today a younger coworker (31) playfully teased on older coworker (60) about a minor mistake and said “you trippin!” and then followed up to say “you triflin!” Older coworker was happy to go along with “trippin” but wondered aloud if “triflin” was being used accurately. Both coworkers are female. Younger is white, older is black. Dispute lightheartedly continued for many minutes involving at least 3 others and the internet but no conclusion was reached. What say Dopers? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trippin-and-triflin-these-arent-synonyms-are-they/805594/2 "2017-12-30T22:04:37Z")
Trippin’ means you’re on drugs and having hallucinations, etc. Triflin’ means making a big deal over nothing. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trippin-and-triflin-these-arent-synonyms-are-they/805594/3 "2017-12-30T22:32:41Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Triflin’ means making a big deal over nothing. Never heard it mean anything but lazy or worthless. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trippin-and-triflin-these-arent-synonyms-are-they/805594/4 "2017-12-30T22:47:33Z")
Trippin is crazy. Triflin is nasty. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trippin-and-triflin-these-arent-synonyms-are-they/805594/5 "2017-12-30T22:49:45Z")
**You’re trippin’.** You are behaving or believing in something unsupported or otherwise not founded in reality. \*\*I’m aware of your triflin’ ways. \*\*You are a nonsensical person or someone who cannot be relied upon. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2017, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trippin-and-triflin-these-arent-synonyms-are-they/805594/6 "2017-12-31T01:51:02Z")
Tripping means you are unaware of the true situation. Trifling means you are not taking the situation as seriously as you should be. So it’s possible to trifle due to tripping. But you can trip without trifling and trifle without tripping. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2017, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trippin-and-triflin-these-arent-synonyms-are-they/805594/7 "2017-12-31T04:09:48Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Triflin’ means making a big deal over nothing. > [@elfkin477](#): > > Never heard it mean anything but lazy or worthless. I’m not very hip, but I believe I’ve heard “trifling” used in both these ways. I think the literal meaning is something along the lines of being overly interested in unimportant things (i.e. trifles). But that could refer to someone who’s petty and gets worked up over minor problems OR someone who’s daydreaming and not focused on important tasks. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2017, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trippin-and-triflin-these-arent-synonyms-are-they/805594/8 "2017-12-31T06:17:39Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Tripping means you are unaware of the true situation. > > Trifling means you are not taking the situation as seriously as you should be. > > So it’s possible to trifle due to tripping. But you can trip without trifling and trifle without tripping. _head explodes_