Phrase guide

wardrobe malfunction

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

An accidental counterpart of indecent exposure caused by a fault in someone's clothing (especially that of a performer) or by an error made while changing clothes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: euphemistic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

An Americanism, coined by singer Justin Timberlake in 2004 to describe the incident during Super Bowl XXXVIII in which singer Janet Jackson's right breast was bared.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 走光 (zǒuguāng) — euphemism: an accidental instance of indecent exposure
  • Finnish: vaatemoka — euphemism: an accidental instance of indecent exposure
  • Polish: przypadkowe obnażenie się — euphemism: an accidental instance of indecent exposure
  • Spanish: falla indumentaria — euphemism: an accidental instance of indecent exposure
  • Spanish: fallo de vestimenta — euphemism: an accidental instance of indecent exposure
  • Spanish: yerro de vestidura — euphemism: an accidental instance of indecent exposure
  • Spanish: erro de vestuario — euphemism: an accidental instance of indecent exposure
  • Turkish: frikik — euphemism: an accidental instance of indecent exposure