Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

loose lips sink ships

/ˈlus ˈlɪps ˈsɪŋk ˈʃɪps/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.77 in modern English

Syllables: loose lip-s sink -ships
IPA: /ˈlus ˈlɪps ˈsɪŋk ˈʃɪps/

29

Scrabble Score

18

Letters

3

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

proverb

Saying too much or releasing confidential information can have dangerous consequences.

Example Sentences

"Loose Lips Sink Ships, said the wartime poster. Of course the ships will all sink anyway, sooner or later."
"‘Loose lips sink ships,’ she spat at Dad once, when they were arguing about Grandpa, but ‘loose lips killed our son.’"

Etymology

Shortening of a wartime slogan from World War II.

Phrases

loose-lipped

Frequently Paired Words

loose-lipped

Rhymes With

tips ships lips trips chips clips strips eclipse hips slips lick one's lips grips

Questions

How do you pronounce loose lips sink ships?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈlus ˈlɪps ˈsɪŋk ˈʃɪps/.
What does loose lips sink ships mean?: Saying too much or releasing confidential information can have dangerous consequences.
Where does loose lips sink ships come from?: Shortening of a wartime slogan from World War II.

How to pronounce loose lips sink ships

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “loose lips sink ships”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈlus ˈlɪps ˈsɪŋk ˈʃɪps/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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