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He should have clarified that he wants to "meet" them on StreetPass.
"Funny how you can say something in your head and it sounds fine..."
The Eleventh Doctor, Doctor Who, "The Vampires of Venice"

A character says something innocuous, but it can easily be misconstrued as something really dirty. Different from Innocent Innuendo in that the audience isn't misled — it's just the character isn't filtering their thoughts properly. Other, more dirty-minded characters may make fun of the speaker or chime in with "That's What She Said!" More commonly, the speaker catches herself and, after a Beat, acknowledges it with the title phrase or something to the same effect like, "You know, now that I'm saying this out loud, I realize how ridiculous/idiotic/wrong it actually sounds".

Several tropes can be used as a result of the things that come out wrong. For example, if a character says something that unintentionally includes Ho Yay in it, then that character often gets Mistaken for Gay as a result.

A related phenomenon is this sequence:

  1. The inadvertent Double Entendre is said.
  2. The speaker moves on to something else, while everyone else is awkwardly silent.
  3. The person closest to the speaker says "Wait for it."
  4. Cue dawning realization and a flustered explanation from the speaker.
  5. The person or people spoken to show an odd reaction towards the speaker through responding either verbally or through body language after the words have been said. For example: Heh Heh, You Said "X".

Verbal Backspace may be employed to select a more appropriate phrase. May degenerate into Digging Yourself Deeper or Freudian Slippery Slope. See also Freudian Slip, Open Mouth, Insert Foot, Lampshaded Double Entendre (which this is a subtrope of, specifically one where the same speaker is also doing the lampshading) and Ambiguous Syntax.

Compare Accidental Innuendo, where this isn't intentional on the writer's part. Also compare to Lying by Omission, where the misrepresentation is generally both precise and intended on the character's part. Related to It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time in a non-innuendo way, where an idea sounded good in your head but turns out to be terrible out loud.

Not to be confused with Came Back Wrong. Basically the verbal version of Not What It Looks Like.


Example subpages:

Other examples:

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    Advertising 
  • Burger King did one that was not so much dirty as Squicky: "We don't just serve burgers, we serve people."
  • The people behind Corn Nuts really could have phrased this jingle better.
    • "It's not about anything else."? They knew exactly what they were saying.
  • Fanta celebrated its 75th anniversary by releasing in its origin country, Germany, a special edition reminiscent of the first recipe and a commercial announcing it as having "the feeling of the Good Old Times". With those "old times" being World War II Germany, the backlash was quick and the ad was pulled.
  • KFC once had a Battlestar Galactica tie-in promotion which advertised a sweepstakes to win a "Frak Pak". After realizing what the frak that actually meant, they removed all instances of "frak" and changed the name of the promotion to "Can't-Say-That-Word-on-Television Sweepstakes". This was probably even worse, since the old name only suggests a prize pack with condoms and KY Jelly, while the revised name suggests a Happy-Ending Massage for the winners.
  • McDonald's had a brief (and swiftly recalled) online advertising campaign in which they'd slightly misunderstood youth slang. "Double cheeseburger? I'd hit it".note 
  • Then there's the ad from Ortega taco sauce starring Olympic athletes. The only woman in the commercial delivers this gem:
    Shawn Johnson: Ortega taco sauce makes my taco pop!
  • The "True love that comes from a little green leaf" line in a Truvia commercial.
  • The hair care brand known as "K.U.M." was almost a built-in case of this on the name alone, but tag lines like "You'll definitely turn heads when you have KUM in your hair!" didn't help matters.

    Anime & Manga 
  • Aquarion Evol has a pretty hilarious example where Andy calls Mix aside with the excuse that he wants to ask her something. What he intends to ask is for her to let him fill the hole in her heart but after several minutes of struggling to actually say it to her face, he literally says "Let me fill your hole!" Mix is not amused.
  • In Asteroid in Love, Mira recalls Ao used to be more talkative. It turns out that Ao became uncomfortable speaking to others after the one time she described being hot as being "in heat", resulting in her classmates teasing her for having said something embarrassing.
  • In Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense., during an interview for placing 3rd in the first event Maple states "I took a pounding, but I liked it." Her face turns bright red when she realized how that sounded.
  • If I See You In My Dreams: Fuguno Masuo, a hapless 24-year-old virgin salaryman, pursues love with Shizuoka Nagisa, a likewise hapless 22-year-old virgin kindergarten teacher who has developed a hatred of men. Hilarity and mass quantities of tsundere-ness ensue; the protagonist got locked in an elevator overnight, and so was late for the date he had the next day. The woman he got locked in with helpfully explained that he was late because they had spent the night together. Oops...
  • In Infinite Stratos, Ichika's sister tells his harem that she's not going to just hand him over to them, they'll need to get up to her level. It's only much later (during the OVA) that she realizes now they all think she's sexually interested in her little brother.
  • I Want Your Mother To Be With Me!: After Yuzuki fully wakes up and realizes she gave Ryo a Marshmallow Hell:
    Ryo: It's not your fault, Yuzuki-san! You were just tired, that's all! In fact, if you're fine with me, you can do that more often! Yes, come to me, please!
    Ahh, no...! I didn't mean that in a weird way, okay?!
  • In A Love Letter For The Marching Puppy, when Iindou and the other new cadets first arrive at the academy and meet Kagami (an older student who serves as their mentor), Kagami demands that they take off their clothes... so she can teach them how to put on the uniform. Unusually for this trope, Kagami isn't in the least embarrassed by what she ended up inadvertently implying.
  • The Happy StrikerS parody Yonkoma released together with Chapter 0 of Magical Record Lyrical Nanoha Force in NyanType magazine had this little gem.
    Fate: That's right. On my days off, Nanoha and I do things like that together.
    [beat panel]
    Fate: Of course, I mean like stretches and training.
    Teana: Please don't clarify it like that. It's suspicious.
  • In Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan's Island, Sleggar asks Sayla if he can ride her. He means sitting his mech on top of her Core Booster jet for transport purposes, but realizes about a second too late what it sounds like, and earns a slap for his troubles.
  • In Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun, Kashima asks Sakura why Hori has been hanging out with Nozaki so much. Sakura panics and lies:
    Sakura: Nozaki-kun is... he's just paying back senpai with his body!note 
  • In Akane's special for My-Otome, this exchange happens while Akane and Kazuya are about to have sex.
    Kazuya: I'm a little scared.
    Akane: Don't worry, I know lots of stuff.
    Kazuya: Eh?
    Akane: [sheepishly while waving her hands] No, I didn't mean it like that. I learned lots in school.
    Kazuya: R-right.
  • Poor Poor Lips has Nako completely missing the subtext behind the head maid's comment on her sleeping with Ren and proceeding to give Ren a heart attack when she cheerfully announces to Ren that she'll "Attend to you all night if you want!"
  • In Prétear, when Himeno first merges with Leafe Knight Hayate in order to become a Magical Girl, she wonders where he went, to which he telepathically replies that he's inside her. Cue flustered reaction.
  • In Rising × Rydeen the main character has the power to release white gel from any part of his body. It's a gross and useless power so he goes to the hospital to see if it can be removed. Unfortunately, he wasn't clear to the nurse attending to him that shooting "white gel in huge loads" is his superpower and that by he wants her to "relieve" him of it he means that he wants her to depower him. His phrasing causes the nurse to accuse him of trying to sexually harass her and things get worse when he decides to show her his powers.
  • This conversation from the second season of the Sailor Moon anime:
    King Endymion: Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen, this girl is the daughter of you two.
    [Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen look at each other and go beet red]
    Sailor Mars: [enraged] In which year, month, day, minute, and second did this happen?! [realizes what she just said and blushes]
  • After Morte rips her skirt in episode seven of Sands of Destruction, Kyrie suggests they visit the hot springs together, intending to mend her skirt while she bathes. Unfortunately, Morte keys in on the word together and isn't amused at the implications. Kyrie quickly backpedals.
  • School Rumble when Harima accidentally told Tenma that he will take care of her sister Yakumo forever.
  • The uncut English dub of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann's sixth episode has Yoko doing a Foe-Tossing Charge to punch Kamina in the face because he got Distracted by the Sexy. He responds that there are some things a guy just has to see, to which she angrily yells that if he wanted to see it that badly, she can show them any time... then hurriedly tries to correct herself.
  • Episode 14 of Toradora! involves a rumor that touching Taiga will bring you good luck/happiness. She spends most of the episode trying to avoid contact with people until she runs across her crush looking down and tells him "You can touch me as much as you want. Touch me lots and lots!" followed immediately by the realization of what that sounds like.
  • Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!: Sakaki accuses Ami of always giving lewd looks on Sakurai due to his fit body, which Ami frantically tries to deny. She starts getting tangled up in saying that she finds him desirable, but not in a romantic sense, and ultimately says out loud "I'm only interested in his body!". It takes her about three seconds to realize what she said and how wrong it may be taken.
  • In the dub version of the second season of Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL, Yuma watches Rio duel a Brainwashed Barian pawn using her ice-themed deck. When Rio wins, he compliments her, calling her an "ice queen", and then quickly realizes what that usually means. (Fortunately, Rio realizes he meant it as a compliment.)
  • Yui Kamio Lets Loose: In Chapter 8 Kiito asks Yui in Black, who is running aroung in a bathrobe, to come to the locker room with him (so he can tie her hair). She naturally responds by running away.

    Comedy 
  • Donald Glover had this moment when talking about Shaft in his special, "Weirdo"
    "It's not like I woke up in Shaft pajamas, ran downstairs, drank my cup of Shaft juice, turned on the TV, I just realized...Shaft juice sounds like semen. Wouldn't want to drink that."
  • During the Humournoid tour, Ross Noble tells how he suffered several injuries as a result of running a half marathon without training first. The worst of these was chafing of his groin. As a result, he was moving very carefully to avoid further inflaming the area. However, when his legs locked up while he was trying to open his hotel room door, he found himself rocking back and forth with very suggestive hip thrusts and grunting uncontrollably. A female hotel employee saw and immediately started walking away. In a desperate attempt to explain, he blurted out "It's because of my testicles!".

    Comic Books 
  • In Critter #14, School Girl is trapped atop a buoy by giant crustaceans. She screams:
    "Help! I've got crabs! I mean... Jeez. That's not what I mean."
  • In The New 52: Futures End: Batgirl #1, there is this exchange between Cassandra and Stephanie:
    Cassandra: You rely too much on your weapons.
    Stephanie: You haven't lived until you've covered two sketchy dudes in goop, Cass.
    [significant look from Cassandra]
    Stephanie: I know what I said, okay? Sheesh.
  • Gotham Central:
    Crispus Allen: What's going on between you and Corrigan?
    Renee Montoya: I beg your pardon?
    Crispus: Not like that.
    Renee: Then like what?
  • In a Great Lakes Avengers storyline, Mr. Immortal discovers that he isn't just a mutant (Homo superior) but a special kind of mutant (Homo supreme), owing to his Complete Immortality. He then decides to announce this to his team by barging in and declaring "I am Homo Supreme!", right after team member Flatman came out of the closet. Flatman then grumbles about Immortal trying to upstage him.
  • Hawkeye: In Hawkeye (2012) #15, Bobbi asks Clint about the strip club he busted up. He is surprised that she knows about that and attempts to defend himself:
    Clint: I wasn't there for the girls. I was there for the guys. No. Wait.
  • The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck has this infamous exchange in "The Prisoner of White Agony Creek", when Scrooge is escorting Goldie O'Gilt to his claim, which is hidden in a tunnel that passes between the legs of a frozen mammoth.
    Scrooge: Okay, let's get on with it. Between the legs!
    Goldie: I beg your pardon?!
    Scrooge: Er... the way to White Agony Creek is between the mammoth's legs! Get going!
  • Red Ears: Three women are discussing going down on their husbands, and two of them noticed something unusual, namely that their balls are cold. The third woman (who happens to be blonde whereas her two friends are brunettes) arrives with a black eye the next week. She explains that she went down on her husband, but then stopped to remark that his balls are warm, whereas those of the two other guys are cold.
  • Superman:
    • Smallville Season 11: When Diana goes to reintroduce herself to her Childhood Friend Steve Trevor he happens to be in the shower, and his Modesty Towel falls when he goes to confront what he thinks is a hostile intruder, she proceeds to make an Innocent Innuendo:
      Diana: You have... certainly grown...
      [Beat]
      Diana: I cannot believe I just said that...
    • In The Coming of Atlas, Clark Kent is explaining to Lois Lane that he wants them to attend Zatanna's show because she knows all kind of amazing tricks which she has performed for her teammates on the JLA table.
      Clark Kent: She has a clause in her contract, no magical powers, it's all magician's craft. And she's good. Barry, when he was alive, he told me even he couldn't see how she did some of the tricks. And this wasn't even on stage, this was in the Satellite on the JLA table. Close up.
      Lois Lane: Why does that sound dirtier than you intended it to?
  • In the erotic graphic novel Teach Me 3, Daphne is stunned by how much her 18-year-old nephew has grown up since the last she saw him.
    Daphne: Uncle Tim's away at a conference, so he won't be able to play with you in the pool... What am I saying? You're all grown up — you can play with yourself — err... on your own!
  • X-Men example:
    Wolverine: No offense, but you trying to act... sexy... seems so wrong.
    Jubilee: Not thirteen anymore, Wolvie.
    Wolverine: I sort of wish you were. [pause] That... sounded bad.
    Jubilee: Awful.

    Comic Strips 
  • Roger in FoxTrot:
    Roger: I don't want some drop-dead gorgeous, hot-bodied wife!... [beat] ...I'm not helping myself, am I?
  • Knights of the Dinner Table: B.A.'s repeated use of the phrase "I've got wood for sheep" while playing a Bland-Name Product version of Settlers of Catan. He never works out why everyone else is cracking up.
  • Zits:
    • The history teacher once makes one: "And the Vikings in their pillaging made off with lots of booty." Needless to say, the class was over after she said it.
    • Likewise, one earlier Sunday strip is made of this trope, in which a museum guide calmly gives the class a tour on "the many wonderful examples of tools", causing Jeremy and Hector to mutter "Tools" at each other and dissolve into barely contained giggles. The guide goes on to explain to the class how "Some tools are very large... some are nearly microscopic", then asks them "Can you think of a tool you have in your pocket right now? What tool do you use every day?" It's a wonder they kept straight faces for as long as they did.
    • The 9 October 2013 strip has Connie tell Jeremy and Sarah to have fun and then feels the need to clarify that she meant scholarly fun and tells them to "study hard - I mean well".

    Fan Works 
  • Most of the dialogues of the Homestuck fancomic Alabaster: The Doomed Session are filled with innuendo, both intentional and completely accidental.
  • Naruto: Rend
    Naruto: Hey Ichigo. You got a minute.
    Ichigo: Naruto? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be catching up with that woman? What's her name... Hinata?
    Naruto: She's getting dinner with Nel. Besides, we're roommates so we'll have lots of time together.
    Ichigo: [raises eyebrow]
    Naruto: It's not like that!
  • In Amazing Fantasy, Izuku says the day after he got a grasp on his Venom Strike and shocked Peter again, he tried it again and let the sparks fly... before admonishing the reader and saying that they know what he means.
  • Another Wedding Alone:
    Harry: Do you know who wants to date me? Gold diggers and Draco. No one else. Not Luna, not Hermione, not Hannah, not Susan, not-
    Ron: I get it, mate. Times are dry, you have to keep busy with your own wand... wait, that didn't come out right!
  • Don Paolo invokes the trope by name in the humorous Professor Layton story Beloved My Cheeseburger. When the story's other villain states that Layton is the only one who could possibly stop him, Paolo objects.
    "I can stop you!" Don Paolo snapped. "I'm greater than Layton! I build flying machines and soup up cars to turn them into gliders! Not to mention I'm extremely handy with latex!" He paused. "That came out wrong."
  • The Best Revenge has this non-sexual variant during a dinner between Narcissa, Draco, Harry and Snape:
    Narcissa: My son, the quidditch fanatic. No brooms this year, Draco. How are you going to console yourself?
    Draco: With potions. Er-I mean-studying and learning how to make potions. In Potions class. Not taking them. Eeww.
  • Blackened Bluebird has a Played for Drama example. Knowing that May is a tragic victim of circumstance and Salem's manipulations, one of Ozpin's agents offers her the chance to defect, telling her that Ozpin can find a way to remove the grimm blood she has been infused with and make "everything just like it was before". What they mean is preventing May's transformation into a half-grimm abomination. However, May transitioned using that grimm blood infusion, so what it comes across as is "Ozpin wants to detransition you." Understandably, she reacts poorly.
  • Blackened Skies: Teruteru enjoys making racy remarks as part of his wannabe Lovable Sex Maniac persona... and also as a coping mechanism, as he tries to deal with the stresses of the mutual killing games by cracking jokes. This is so deeply ingrained that he honestly struggles with not making lewd comments — something that naturally causes friction with the other students, who repeatedly make clear that they're not amused.
  • The Bolt Chronicles:
    • In "The Paris Trip", Mittens has sex with Berlioz the night before she leaves for home. During the airport cab ride the next morning, Bolt asks a clearly sad Mittens "What's gotten into you anyway?"She breaks into a mischievous smile, thinking that sometimes the best jokes are unintentional.
    • In "The Coyote", Bolt inadvertently lets slip to Charlie the Coyote that he and Mittens (who the coyote is hoping to catch and eat) are sexual partners.
      Charlie: [with a knowing look] Ohhh, now I see. You're fattening her up, saving the choice kitty bits all for yourself.
      Bolt: [blustering] Will you puh-leeze drop the subject already? I guarantee you, nobody's gonna taste her choice kitty bits but me. Mittens is MINE, darn it! MINE!
      Charlie: [blinking incredulously] Um, hang on a sec. Are we even talking about the same thing anymore? You're actually saying you have feelings for... a cat?
      Bolt: [eyes widening as he shifts uncomfortably] That's enough! You're getting me all discombobulated — I can't even think straight! Look, none of this matters, okay? You just get your shabby carcass outta here and leave my cat alone!
  • In The Bridge, Monster X attempts to steal Aria Blaze's magical necklace, called the Heart of a Siren. At one point, he says, "Surrender your heart to me, and I will keep it safe." Aria starts furiously blushing, while Monster X groans and says he was talking about the necklace.
  • In Bruce Has a Problem, Commissioner Gordon talks with his daughter about her resuming a relationship with Dick Grayson, when he had been under the impression lately that she had been playing for the other team, as it were:
    Gordon: Not that there's anything wrong with that! I mean, If you'd actually told me, I would have been completely supportive of any of your lifestyle choices.
    Barbara: I'm not a lesbian, dad.
    Gordon: Well, obviously not, since you obviously like Dick—
    Barbara: [stares at her dad for a long moment before suddenly cracking up]
    Gordon: That's not what I meant!
  • Chris Dee's Cat Tales, in the fourth story, "Catfight": Bruce is talking to his (dead) father's portrait, in an attempt to resolve some issues:
    "If I had a nickel for every time I said I'd take her down, and she tried to flay me with that whip while I tried to get the cuffs on her..."
    Bruce stopped as his imagination caught up with the words he was speaking, and he envisioned his conservative, middle-aged father's reaction to this evocative imagery.
    "It's not as kinky as it sounds," Bruce lied.
  • In Choose Your Snake Barty Crouch Jr. comments on Voldemort's fixation on Harry.
    Barty: He'd like it if you were his follower but you'll never bow to him. It makes you interesting.
    Harry: Great. Either follow the madman and become his plaything or let him be my stalker and become his plaything. Either way, I'm screwed.
    Barty: You know... your statement could be taken the wrong way.
  • In Christian Humber Reloaded, Vash, after killing Soku, apologizes to the kids for doing it in front of them, because he doesn't want his enemies to find out that he has "a thing for children". This was meant to show that he is a Friend to All Children, but the kids initially think he's a pedophile.
  • In Daphne Greengrass and the Boy Who Lived, Daphne initially worries about being a victim of this despite her friendship with Harry, Ron and Hermione, as she feels that she has to insult the likes of Neville when interacting with her fellow Slytherins to avoid making trouble for her family but worries that Neville and others will think she means such comments about how he’s basically a Squib.
  • In another Beast Boy/Raven example, Deadpan Love has Raven telling her teammates (after the two had their first date) that she's going to bed. Beast Boy saying "I'll join you" certainly didn't sound right in the context. Thankfully, Raven isn't too angry at the slip.
  • In Deception Harry demonstrates his ability to change into a floor lamp to Draco and McGonagall.
    Harry: You can even turn me on, oh, that didn't sound right, I meant you could turn the light on.
  • From Death Note: The Abridged Series (kpts4tv):
  • A Destroyer's Remorse: Sena suggests she and Lanz "do a workout." Lanz thinks it's a great idea. Sena's father rather snippily asks exactly what they mean by "workout." Lanz just blinks and talks about their normal weights, calisthenics, and cardio routine, while Sena realizes what her father was implying.
  • Doing It Right This Time: When Misato and Asuka argue about Shinji's shooting skills, this exchange happens:
    "The rookie did good," Misato declared. "In fact, I think he did better than your first time, Asuka."
    "My first time was at the age of seven," Asuka retorted. "Besides, it's all just point and squirt; you'd expect a boy to be capable of that by his age." Then she thought about what she'd just said. "Ugh! Please don't ever quote that out of context. Or at all, in fact."
  • In Do You Believe in Fairies?, Evelyn asks Toby if he wants to "watch Netflix and chill". When he starts blushing, she rethinks her wording and understands what she accidentally said.
  • In Albus Dumbledore and the Harbinger of Magic Cedric apologizes to his fellow Triwizard Tournament competitors for being a poor sportsman during and after the First Task.
    Fleur: I got an extra point out of it, and you lost two points. For me, that is enough of a punishment.
    Sophithea: And I am going to spank your bottom in the next two tasks so hard that no one will remember the first task by the time I am done. That may not have come out like I intended.
  • Equestria Girls: Friendship Souls: While Shining Armor is training Twilight Sparkle, she complains that she's in pain. He says, "Your body will adapt, and it will get easier, but it always hurts the first time..." Twilight gets embarrassed as he realizes how dirty that sounded and says, "Yeesh, never thought I'd be saying stuff like that to my little sister."
  • Fantasy of Utter Ridiculousness: This exchange takes place in the middle of a conversation that was going nowhere:
    Reisen: ...You could use some work on your metaphors.
    Patchouli: [aims her spellbook at Reisen] Mind your own business. This is between me and the rat, no-one else. Unless you like being rabbit stew, in which case feel free to fly between us.
    Reisen: I don't need to catch your eyes to be a distraction! ...Wait, that didn't come out right...
  • Zhuge Liang does this during his eulogy for Zhou Yu in Farce of the Three Kingdoms.
    Zhuge Liang: I miss the grace of your manhood. Er, that came out wrong. You were married to a girl, and she was hot — I mean, you were a cute couple — you know what, I'll quit while I'm ahead here.
  • In Fate Revelation Online Diabel spars with Shirou so the latter can make him a sword. When Diabel arrives to pick up the sword, Lisbeth, having recently had a discussion about a Diabel/Shirou pairing, completely misinterprets them discussing the spar.
    Shirou: It's ready. If you're prepared, I can give it to you now. [Lisbeth takes notice]
    Diabel: Thank you. But if you're so rough every time, then even if it's amazing, this will be the last time. [Lisbeth starts blushing]
    Shirou: Ah. I'm sorry, I just got excited.
    Diabel: [deciding to mess with Lisbeth] In that case, I look forward to receiving more from you in the future. But as it is, I am prepared for it right now.
    Shirou: [completely oblivious] Right.
    [Lisbeth panics]
  • Fever Dreams has poor drunk Matsuda...
    Matsuda: It was so horrible. I- I feel like I've violated Misa-Misa just by listening to those lies being told to her... I don't want to have sex with two men and Misa-Misa at the same time... (*everyone stares*) No, no, I'm not with this guy, he's just my friend who has sex with my other male friend. I really like women a lot and any women who want to be with me, I'll respect them incredibly hard and skillfully with all the right respectful lines that I'm going to learn.
    Light: I don't think you should return to this bar anytime soon.zZ
  • Foundations:
    Harry: Fucking hell, your mother!
    Draco: Now, I know you're new to all this, but yelling about fucking and my mother in the same sentence is really bad post-sex etiquette.
    Harry: No... I mean... what if she heard? I completely forgot about her once you'd taken your clothes off. [beat] That didn't quite come out right.
  • In Four Deadly Secrets, Weiss says it almost word for word.
    Weiss: Ha, it looks like a success from back here too. [Beat] Oh god, that sounded completely wrong.
  • A Game of Cat and Cat: "(In)Effective Communication": As the chapter title says. A request for details was almost misinterpreted as an expression of incredulity:
    Kazuya waved off the compliment. "That's different. I had help. How did you survive?"
Soma bit back the urge to give a sarcastic reply. The longer this conversation went on, the more he was sure that Kazuya lacked any capacity for subtlety; if he thought Soma was being an idiot, it would have shown on his face.
"Let me rephrase that before you get the wrong idea," Kazuya added when he saw Soma's expression. "When… um… monsters attacked, how did you stop them from killing you? Are you good at dodging or running? Do you attack so fast that they can't hit you, or are you so strong that you can destroy them with one mighty blow? What kind of armor do you favor?"
  • Larissa and Sofia do this in chapter 7 ofThe Glaceon and the Shadow when Sofia has just cleaned some blood away from Larissa's mouth that she got from biting the ear off Lubyanka and they start teasing each other about looking like vampires:
    Sofia If I was a vampire, I would have used my tongue to clean your face, not my hands. [beat] Hihi, er, n-not what I meant.
  • In Harry Potter and the Golden Ring Zatanna ends Harry's wandless magic training by snapping his wand and stating it represents the boy he was and not the man he is, then offers him the pieces.
    Harry: Keep them. Reminders of the boy you made a man. That didn't sound anywhere near that bad in my head.
    Zatanna: Usually doesn't.
  • Harry Potter and the Summer of Change:
    Ginny: As you saw for yourself, Harry can take care of himself when it comes to mum. You know she has a soft spot for him.
    Fred: I was referring to the soft spot you have for him, actually. Ew, that was all wrong that was.
  • Harry Potter: The Prince of Atlantis:
    Arthur: Mera tells me your magic is progressing quite well. And Tula is more than impressed with your growing skill in close quarters combat.
    Harry: Really? Because Tula seems to enjoy getting me on my back. That came out wrong.
  • Hero Chat: After Luka tells the others that his sister Juleka caught him transforming into Viperion, Marinette states that Juleka is moving up the list. Max and Alix thinks she means a hit list, while Kagami believes it's another sleep-deprived rant. Marinette then states she means a future teammate list, as in planning to select Juleka as a future Miraculous wielder.
  • The Rizzoli & Isles fanfic "Hopes, Dreams, and a Little Bit of Crazy" opens with Jane and Maura learning that they got married the night before while extremely drunk. When Maura says that she needs to call her lawyer, Jane leaves in a fit of depression because she thinks that Maura means she wants to talk to the lawyer about a divorce because she doesn't feel that way about Jane, when Maura actually meant that she just needs to establish the legal implications of whatever their next step was.
  • In the "Zero Hour" arc of I'm a Marvel... And I'm a DC, when the heroes meet Lars, Spider-Man says "So, you finally went and changed your douche. Good Lord, that came out horribly."
  • Invader Zim: A Bad Thing Never Ends: When Professor Membrane first tells his children that he's leaving for Europe for a work trip, the wording makes it sound like he's abandoning them. To his credit, he realizes his mistake almost immediately and quickly clarifies that it's only for a few months.
  • Jackie Chan Adventures: Olympian Journey: When they're talking about Drew, who they think is possessed by Aphrodite's essence, and passing out chocolates that make people his brainwashed love slaves, Simone worries about Jimmy, since the two of them have Chemistry (as in the class) together the next period. Jade promptly shudders and asks her to never say those words again.
  • In Jellal Appreciation Day x7890, after Erza proclaims herself Jellal's girlfriend to scare off the horde of fangirls after him, most the guild cheer that the two finally got together. The came out wrong comes during this celebration.
    Sho: Brother and Sisternote  are together! Brother and Sister are together!
    Laxus: [whacks Sho on the head] Don't say it like that kid! It sounds really mess up!
  • In Kyon: Big Damn Hero, when Tsuruya and Kyon are disguising themselves as students of another school:
    Tsuruya: Now, Kyon-kun, can you get on your knees?
    Kyon: [shrugs] Somehow, I really expected to hear that from Haruhi, first.
    [beat]
    Tsuruya: [chuckles] I have to do your hair.
  • The Legend of Zelda: Paradise Calling:
    Malon: Don't know about you, but after working like a mule for the past couple days I could really use a bath before I start dinner. Would you like one?
    Link: [fascinating eyebrow]
    [beat]
    Malon: [blushing] Not together!
  • Love and War has this in the Author's notes:
    Author's Notes: Also, regarding Achilles' weak point... would his heels be vulnerable to, say, splash damage from an explosion? If so, problem solved: all EMIYA needs to do is fire one of his Noble Phantasm arrows between Achilles' legs (not THAT way), and let a big bang do the rest... that came out wrong.
  • In Loxare Hinder, Red Hood wants to call the Flash in order for the speedster to come pick up his daughter Irey who managed to get lost in Bludhaven.
    Flash: Yo! Wally here!
    Red Hood: I've got your daughter.
    Flash: WHAT?
    Red Hood: No! Wow, that did not come out right! Your daughter ran to Bludhaven and doesn't know how to get to whichever city you live in. Central? Keystone? One of those.
  • In Lady Luck's Favor, Danny Phantom offers to return Princess Dorathea's amulet if she does something for him. Dorathea panics, thinking he's going to rape her, until Danny quickly clarifies that he just wants her to answer some questions.
  • In Lady Luck (Miraculous Ladybug), while we never see exactly what was said, the events of "Copycat" occurred because Chat Noir was trying to Théo down gently on behalf of Lady Luck. But because he describes their partnership vaguely as a "thing"note , Theo thought that Chat and Lady Luck were dating, and gets Akumatized into Copycat out of jealousy. Ironically, the confusion helps Lady Luck Spot the Imposter when Copycat acts lovestruck in her presence, something the real Chat wouldn't do.
  • The Many Dates of Danny Fenton: Danny explains after Felicia Hardy kissed him that he wants more than just a pretty face who would do more than just kiss him. Felicia thinks he means something else and gives him a dirty look. He clarifies he meant someone he can get along with.
  • Missing Links: When Peter is telling the Avengers how he earned money for food while living on the streets, he said he did tricks meaning doing stunts and flips to entertain tourists. When he realized the adults thought he meant the other kind of tricks, he quickly clarified what he meant.
  • In the Power Rangers fic "Multiverse of Madness", when JJ Oliver and Minh Kwan (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always) find themselves in a parallel universe where the Power Rangers first appeared in 2017 (Power Rangers (2017)), when Minh initially meets this world's version of Trini, when she violently rejects the idea that she's a previous hook-up of Trini's Trini interprets her response as Minh being homophobic. Minh immediately explains that she's just fairly sure she and Trini are related, so she was reacting with disgust because of the possible relationship rather than her being prejudiced.
  • In The Simpsons fanfic Must Love Ned Flanders, Naomi says, "What can a girl do to make some money around here?", then adds, "That's not what I meant! I mean, like a job!".
  • Naru-Hina Chronicles:
    • Mina meets Hinata, Sakura, and Ino at some restaurant. She then explains to the girls why she's late:
      Mina: Hey guys, sorry I'm being so late, I was saying bye to Kiba, and he kept pulling me back, wanting another kiss, and well... It got a little out of hand. Ha-ha. I hope I haven't missed much.
      Hinata: [blushing] Mina? What do you mean 'Got out of hand?'
      Ino: [smirking] Mina... You hound. Getting busy with Kiba huh? Tee-hee.
      Sakura: [surprised] Mina? Really? First thing in the morning
      Mina: [making an Oh, Crap! face while waving her hands around] N-N-N-N-O. YOU HAVE THE WRONG IDEA!
    • In one of the Mini-sodes, Hinata has a conversation with Sakura, Ino, and Tenten where she says that she got angry with Naruto and told him she would punish him if he didn't stop teasing her, and Naruto now keeps asking her "When?" The girls think he's waiting for some punishment of the BDSM kind. Ino says there's nothing wrong with some Kinky Role-Playing, causing Sakura to say that Hinata isn't into that kind of thing. The Hyuga then says she wouldn't even know where to start if she was, only for Tenten (who's a weapon specialist) to tell her "I could lend you a whip." Both Hinata and Sakura look at Tenten in shock, who makes a Comical Angry Face and angrily explains that whips are weapons too:
      Ino: [grinning] Oh ho ho! So you really do have Neji 'whipped'!
      Tenten: Ino!!
    • In another Mini-sode, during a sleepover at Naruko's home, Hinago reveals that he brought a sleeping bag as he didn't want to assume they were sharing the same bed:
      Naruko: [smiling] Oh come now Hinago, you know you can sleep with me whenever you want.
      Hinago: [blushing and having Blank White Eyes] R-Really?! Wait... You do mean just sleep... right?
      Naruko: [also blushing and having blank white eyes] Huh?! Oh! I err... I-I guess that did come out a little awkward, heh-heh!
  • A New Dawn: Allies:
    Harry: Well - my fantasies and plans aside, I would rather that, in a fight between me and Voldemort, I came out on top... [general chorus of "Eeeew"] Oh for a different phrasing.
  • In the MLP fic Night Time for Spike, Spike decides to oil a squeaky window:
    He looked up and over at the kitchen window that had nearly foiled his escape from the library last night, narrowing his eyes once more. "Alright you noisy bitch, time to get oiled up." Pausing for a moment, Spike frowned. "... That... came out wrong."
  • No Longer Alone:
    Tonks: Mum, let me tell the story!
    Andromeda: Then tell your story, but don't go onto tangents which make me want a cocktail on a Sunday afternoon.
    Tonks: Wait, so if I keep talking about cocktails, will you make us some? Because you make the best Sex on the Beach I know - Wait, that sounds wrong.
  • In OSMU: Fanfiction Friction, Todd notes that the Mobile Unit is behind him, as he can identify them by their smell. When explaining how he knows of their presence, Opal tells him "Never mind our smell!" before realizing that it didn't come out right. She doesn't get a chance to correct herself before Omar takes over for her.
  • From Overlady: "Let's go take advantage of Jessica while she's hungover."note 
  • Past Continuous: Said word-for-word by Eleya when her question of whether the Cardassian elements of the 77th Fleet would be participating comes out mouthier than she intended.
  • In Chapter 23 of Pokémon Reset Bloodlines, Ash is confronting the local Knight of Cerebus Belladonna whom he has just learned might be his half-sister and asks her about having a relationship with multiple people being illegal. Belladonna replies that she "[has] no use for the laws of man", then realizes that her comment might be taken for misandry, and quickly corrects herself, saying that she meant "the laws of humans".
  • Pony POV Series: When Princess Cadence's entourage arrives in the Cat Kingdom, they find it has no place for the airship to land, so they have to fly down themselves. The Pegasus members will carry the others, while Cadence offers to carry Twinkle Shine and Minuette in her arms and Shining Armor on her back. Shining doesn't think it's a good idea, but she assures she's strong enough and says, "Time to mount me Shining Armor." A second later, it sinks in and she says, "I walked into that one didn't I?"
  • A Possible Encounter for a Phantom: Drakken questions why Kim would want to possibly go on a date with Danny Fenton, who is 2 years younger than her. Shego think he might grow up to be a stud, causing Drakken to question the meaning of her words, but she quickly states that's not what she meant.
  • In Pyrrha(c) Victory, during a game of Truth or Dare, Velvet dares Pyrrha to take a shower in the boys' washroom, and Pyrrha asks Jaune to stand guard.
    Jaune: [to Ren, while getting changed out of his pajamas back in JNPR's room] I need to help Pyrrha with her shower.
    [Jaune leaves, then sticks his head back in]
    Jaune: That's not what it sounded like. I'll explain later.
  • RainbowDoubleDash's Lunaverse: Trixie's first attempt with memory spells has her kissing Raindrops (with tongue), and when Raindrops understandably shoves her off and asks what the hay, Trixie explains that it was a memory spell (and the instructions apparently require the tongue) and that Raindrops stopped her before it got to "the good part". Embarrassment follows, especially since Cheerilee walks in and assumes something entirely different is going on.
  • Recovery None: In Chapter 46, after Church wakes up following his rescue from Wyoming and O'Malley, Wash discusses his next moves with Blue Team.
    Wash: Tex went after Wyoming. We’re currently checking out this facility that he and Doc were operating for O’Malley. And Tucker’s going to show me everything he’s learned about his sword.
    [Tucker and Church freeze before staring at Wash in surprise]
    Wash: What? What’d I… Oh, goddammit.
    Tucker: Bow chicka bow–
    Wash: TUCKER!
    Tucker: Dude, I’m not the one that had the amazing lead for that! That’s all you, good buddy.
  • Roses in December:
    Madam Pomfrey: It is very important for the obliviated to have one person acting as an anchor for them and as Hermione is already responding to you, you are the chosen one. Sorry, Harry, that didn't come out the way I intended.
  • RWBY: Reckoning gives us this gem:
    Prof. Kor: Darrel? Might I ask what you are doing out and about in the middle of the night?
    Darrel: Sorry, sir. I wanted to get out of the hospital so I could go and sleep with RWBY.
    Prof. Kor: [snickering] Darrel, I know you're a teenage male, but don't you think you're rushing it a bit?
    Darrel: [as he realizes how badly his response was constructed] OH GOD NO! That is not what I meant!
  • In the A Certain Magical Index fic He Will Surely Save, while Kuroko is trying to explain how a wormhole works, she makes a ring with her thumb and forefinger, then sticks her other forefinger through it. Everybody is disgusted by what looks like a vulgar display.
  • The Secret Return of Alex Mack: When proving her identity to a stubborn corporal, Terawatt asks what more evidence she could give than flying, and whether she needs to "electrocute your privates?" She meant to refer to the soldiers standing nearby, of course...
  • A non-sexual version occurs in Secrets.
    Lucius: Are you also worried about becoming a Dark wizard?
    Harry: No, not really. I reckon I have the potential in me, literally, because of Voldemort's magic, but I'll never be a Dark wizard. I killed to save lives, not end them. That didn't come out right.
  • In Sparkle like Bowie in the morning sun, Damian decides to help his brother Tim with his gender transition and sends a message to their contacts warning them of Tim taking a leave of absence because "he needs surgery to remove unwanted growths". Cue the whole Justice League freaking out over the diagnostic of cancer, only for Tim to reassure them Damian only meant top surgery.
  • The Miraculous Ladybug fic Tangled Up In You has this exchange, at a sleepover at Alya's house with Marinette, Adrien, and Nino:
    Adrien: This is actually my first time having a sleepover with anyone other than Nino.
    Marinette: Yeah. I mean, I've had sleepovers with people besides Alya, but this is definitely my first time having one with guys.
    Adrien: Oh? I would've figured for sure that a popular girl like you had had sleepovers with just about everyone.
    [long Beat as Marinette, well aware of Adrien's social cluelessness, tries to think of the best way to explain the implications of what he just said]
    Adrien: Umm, Mari? I didn't say anything weird did I? Sorry, it's just, you started blushing suddenly but I wasn't sure if it was something I said or not.
    Marinette: No, well, I mean yes, but it's okay. I figured you probably didn’t even realize what you said. [Adrien shakes his head. Marinette blushes again and continues trying to figure out how to explain this; she turns back to him and clears her throat] Okay, basically, boys and girls don't really have sleepovers together, except maybe sometimes when they're little kids. So, like, a boy and a girl having a sleepover at our age, for example, kind of implies that they’re doing something, if you catch my drift. [Adrien does not catch her drift; Marinette sighs, grabs his shoulders and looks him in the eyes] Listen carefully, because I'm sure I can only manage to say this once without combusting. When a boy and a girl have a sleepover, it’s usually because they want to have sex. So, what you said about me being popular and having sleepovers with everyone basically implies that you think that I—
    Adrien: [turns "what was probably a yet-undiscovered shade of red"] Oh my gosh I'm so, so sorry!
  • In a Teen Titans (2003) fan pic, Raven flubs about her skills with Beast Boy. Although, she might have meant it like that subconsciously.
  • In the Codename: Kids Next Door fanfiction Operation: There Is No Operation, Numbuh 362 taunts Father by daring him to spank her, sending him on a tirade on how that attitude makes pseudo-genocidal war on kiddom awkward and how he would never ever— cut off. It is assumed he was going to say something about sexual abuse.
  • In the first chapter of There's More Magic Out There, Juleka comments that she likes Alya's skin. Alya tries to invoke this trope by acting like Juleka made an accidental creepy comment about her human skin to deter from the truth. Juleka then clarifies she was talking about Alya's fox selkie skin.
  • This Bites!:
    • When Cross learns Vice Admiral Jonathan conned Akainu, he cheerfully states he knows some people who'd love to hear that (MI4), only to realize his mistake when Jonathan suddenly becomes far more serious.
    • When Cross meets Eustass Kid:
      Kid: "I never thought I'd say this, but… Cross, do me."note 
      Cross: (awkward silence followed by pressing one of Killer's gauntlets to his throat) "Please. Just make it quick."
      Kid: "I MEANT TELL ME HOW YOU'D BEAT ME, YOU JACKASS!"
  • TLK:
    Luna: Friends share with each other; the good and the bad. My first kiss was from a boy I really liked, just before the Yule Ball. I found out later that he only did it to win a five galleon bet. I heard him and his friends laughing about it afterwards.
    Harry: That's horrible. I can't believe someone would do that to you. You're a wonderful person. You're smart, funny, wicked in a fight, pretty and worth a hell of a lot more than five galleons. That didn't come out right, I mean...
  • Total Drama All-Stars Rewrite: During the rewrite of the episode "The Bold and the Booty-ful", Chris is yelling at Gwen for (supposedly) making his chin too big in her painting of him. This leads to Gwen setting him up for this gem.
    Gwen: Are you kidding me?! How does such a big ego fit inside such a teeny-tiny brain?
    Chris: Hey! You don't need brains to host reality TV!!! [...realizes what he said] ...wait.
    Confessional Gwen: Well at least he admits it. [giggles]
  • In this Touken Ranbu doujin, what Ishikirimaru and Nikkari think is Mikazuki and Juzumaru having sex is actually the former untangling the latter's hair from his own jacket zipper, with their overheard conversation being Accidental Innuendo.
  • True Potential: In Chapter 70, Anko meets Jiraiya at the Hokage's office. He's a bit grumpy, but he explains that he was just wanting some alone time and was expecting to be bothered by someone like Hiruzen's old teammates, although he will gladly talk to her. Anko repeats "alone time" in disgust and thinks he does you-know-what in his office. He's horrified by what she just said and scowls before saying:
    Jiraiya: Hey, you know I'm not the kind of person to that in this office! I may be a super pervert, but I'm not that perverted!
  • Ultra Fast Pony. After establishing that the zebras are subject to Fantastic Racism, Twilight tries to introduce herself to one of them:
    Twilight: Hey, Zecora. You wanna hang?
    [beat; Oh, Crap! expression on Twi's face]
    Twilight: Wow, that came out so wrong. I mean, do you wanna hang out?
  • In The Undead Schoolgirl: Dead Pulse, Mei meets Izuku and promptly declares that with Izuku's help, she'll make so many babies. Everyone's aghast at her declaration until Mei explains she means support gear.
  • Universe Falls: In "Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons", Pearl is captured alongside Ford and Dipper. When Probabilitor announces his plan to eat his captives' brains and absorb their intelligence, Pearl tries to point out that she doesn't have a physical brain due to being a creature of Hard Light, but it comes out rather unflattering.
    Pearl: Even if your ridiculous plan succeeded, you’d only have two brains to snack on anyway since I’m a Gem. Which means I don’t have a brain. (beat) Wait, I didn't mean it like that!
    Probabilitor: Oh, believe me, I'm well aware of your relative brainlessness!
  • Weightless: Chapter 4, apparently, Garrus's awkwardness is contagious:
    Garrus: Turians like it hot.
    Shepard: I ride my soldiers hard and put them away wet, I can at least make sure they don't go to bed hungry.
  • What Everyone Didn't Know:
    Fred: If the greasy git won't tell us we'll ask Sirius.
    George: Or Ron. Sirius had to have told Ron.
    Ron: Sorry George. He's not as easy as we thought.
    Sirius: Hey, I'm plenty easy. [beat] That's not what I meant and you know it.
  • When in Doubt, Obliviate: Gilderoy Lockhart makes a Freudian Slip while telling Harry (his adopted son) to stop calling him "Professor".
    Gilderoy: ...[Y]ou're hardly the first student to have a relationship with a professor outside of the classroom. [beat] I think that might have come out wrong.
  • The Worst Prisoner: The Fisherman and Sokka choose their words poorly when explaining why Sokka was with him and not Katara and Aang.
  • Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series:

    Films — Animation 
  • A non-sexual variation occurs in Aladdin:
    Iago: Wait a minute, wait a minute, Jafar! What if you were the chump husband?
    Jafar: What?!
    Iago: Okay... Okay, you marry the Princess, all right?! And then, then you become the Sultan!
  • Cars has this gem.
    Sally: Flo, what do you have at your store?
    Flo: I have gas. Lots of gas! (cue snickers)
  • In Checkered Ninja, the titular character asks Aske to get him a sheath for his small sword. Aske naturally tries asking his wood shop teacher for help. Since the Danish word for "sheath" (Skede) is also a word for a vagina, he gets sent to detention.
    Aske: I want to make a sheath/(Vagina) (...) It has to be hollow so you can breathe through it underwater, and it needs a strap so you can carry it on your back.
  • Coco: Before sending Miguel home, Ernesto tells him, "I hope you die very soon," implying Ernesto wants to see Miguel again. He then clarifies, "You know what I mean."
  • Elemental (2023) has a moment where Wade mistakes Ember for a fire when she's camped out in front of Gale's offices and tries to stomp her out before she pulls the blanket off and reveals herself. He apologizes and says that she's "hot", followed by "smoking", each time earning her ire because it sounds like he's hitting on her.
    Ember: Are you done yet?
    Wade: Yes please...
  • Uttered verbatim by Manny at an awkward moment with Ellie in Ice Age: The Meltdown.
    Manny: Ellie, do you realize that now we have a chance to save our species?
    Ellie: Really? How are we gonna do that?
    Manny: Well, you know...
    Ellie: Did you just...? I'm not a mammoth for five minutes and you're hitting on me?
    Manny: I wasn't saying... Not right now. In time. I was just saying that it's our responsibility.
    Ellie: WHAT?
    Manny: All right, that came out wrong.
  • Klaus (2019) has Jesper use the phrase word-for-word after seeing a picture of Alva, the jaded schoolteacher with no kids to teach due to the Feuding Families of the town.
    Jesper: [noticing a picture of Alva's graduation] Holy moly! That's you? What happened?
    Alva: [loses patience] What happened was...
    Jesper: That's... that came out wrong.
  • In The Lion King (2019), Simba accidentally scares a topi antelope while pouncing on a butterfly. The topi sees that it's Simba and is relieved that it's him and not "a real lion". He realizes his mistake and tries to fix it, but all he can muster in the end is "Yeah, I gotta go" before leaving.
  • The 2005 film of The Magic Roundabout has this exchange.
    Brian: Dougal.
    Dougal: Yeah?
    Brian: You mustn't feel guilty just because it's all your fault.
    Dougal: ME?
    Brian: Oh, sorry, that didn't come out right.
  • Near the end of Monsters University, when Don announces he's marrying Squishy's mom.
    Don: Just think of me as your brother who is married to your mother. Wait, that doesn't sound right. Think of us as brothers who share the same mother/wife. No, wait, that's even worse.
  • Mr. Peabody & Sherman features this gem.
    Mr. Peabody: Sherman, I got to get you out of here before you touch yourself!
    [cue dropped jaws around the room, followed by Mrs. Grunion furiously scribbling notes]
  • It happens to poor Izzy in My Little Pony: A New Generation when she comes to Maretime Bay and tries to introduce herself to the Earth Ponies that live there, all of whom are terrified of Unicorns and believe they are evil mind-reading witches:
    Izzy: Now, I know what you're all thinking—
    Sprout: AAAGH! SHE'S ALREADY READING OUR MINDS!!!
  • In Shrek, the title character briefly leaves Princess Fiona behind temporarily because he "has to save his ass." He was actually referring to Donkey (who is exactly what it says on the tin), but Fiona thought he meant he was going to abandon her, causing her to call him out for the action.
    Fiona: What kind of knight are you?!
    Shrek: One of a kind.
  • Wreck-It Ralph: Hero's Duty has the unfortunate trait of sounding like "Hero's Doody," a pun on another word for excrement. Vanellope takes advantage of this. It's even intentionally used in its commercial's tagline: "It's the biggest Duty of all." Or, you're supposed to read it as "It's the biggest doody of all!"

    Films — Live-Action 
  • In American Graffiti, Carol tries to come up with a zinger as John drives away, and spills out "Your car's uglier than I am!" After a second, she says to John "That didn't come out right."
  • The Art of War:
    • The Action Survivor is getting annoyed at Neil Shaw when he starts giving her orders after virtually kidnapping her.
      Julia Fang: It must be nice to assume that I will bend over for you whenever you please. [Neil Shaw starts to speak] It's bend over backwards, I know!
    • Averted when Neil Shaw later tells her to strip (because he thinks a tracking device has been planted on her). When she objects, he just shouts her down rather than doing a Verbal Backspace.
  • Black Sheep (1996): Towards the end, Mike tries to reveal that Governor Tracy had committed voter fraud in her last electoral win.
    Mike: Listen, we've all been screwed by Governor Tracy! And now, I'm gonna screw her!
    [everybody gasps in disgust]
    Mike: I mean, I have evidence here you need to know about now before it's too late!
  • Circle: After the Lawyer is swiftly killed because he argued that they should kill the Lesbian before she molests her own daughter:
    Husband: What if he had a point?
    One-Armed Man: Just drop it already!
    Husband: No, not about the gay stuff.
  • Clue has this exchange in one of the three endings:
    Mr. Green: So it was you! I was going to expose you!
    Wadsworth: I know. So I choose to expose myself.
    Colonel Mustard: Please, there are ladies present!
  • Dad's Army (1971): When Warden Hodges grills Captain Mainwaring over the roadblock and starts pushing past his men, Captain Mainwaring tells him to keep his hands off his Privates.
  • Deadpool (2016): In the Flashback, Wade Wilson is shown on a mercenary job, scaring away a teenage girl's stalker. A phrasing issue occurs as he's threatening the creep.
    Wade: Even look in her general direction again, and you will learn, in the worst of ways, that I have some hard spots too! [Beat] That came out wrong. [leans in, whispers] Or did it? [kisses him]
  • Occurs repeatedly in Down Periscope when the Captain Dodge is introducing their female dive officer to the ship's otherwise all-male crew.
    Dodge: I know this is an unusual situation. Can't be easy for Lt. Lake here to be thrown into a jungle such as this, and I know it will make things hard on all of us... [laughter] ...Let me re-phrase that. It's going to make things difficult on all of us as well. But if we just work together as a team, I'm sure we can handle ourselves... [more laughter] ...comport ourselves as professionals.
  • Get Smart: When KAOS discovers the identities of the CONTROL agents, Larabee volunteers to go out to the field:
    Larabee: Let me out there, sir! I have no problem exposing myself.
    Agent 99: Do you ever think before you speak?
    Larabee: No, I just whip it out there. Seems to work best.
  • Grosse Pointe Blank:
    Debi: You're a psychopath.
    Martin: No, no. Psychopaths kill for no reason. I kill for money. It's a job... That didn't sound right.
  • A little one crops up in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which is a little weird in retrospect given that the two characters in the scene (Harry and Hermione) are about 14 years old:
    Hermione: Harry, you told me you'd figured that egg out weeks ago! The task is two days from now!
    Harry: Really? I had no idea. I suppose Viktor's already figured it out.
    Hermione: Wouldn't know. We don't actually talk about the tournament. Actually, we don't really talk at all. Viktor's more of a physical being.
    Harry: [snicker]
    Hermione: I just mean he's not particularly loquacious.
  • The ending to How To Be Single has a very awkward Ho Yay moment between Alice and Robin.
    Alice: I know I can unzip my dress, but I want you to do it for me. [Robin gives a weird look] That sounded really weird. I want you to watch me unzip my dress. [Robin still has a weird look] That sounded very sexual. That's not what I meant.
  • Martha says this in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle when she gets in an argument with her gym teacher about how pointless gym class is. At the end of the argument, she says "Who wants to spend their time acting like a gym teacher?" before she remembers who she is talking to. The next we see her is in the principal's office.
  • Jurassic Park (1993) has a scene where Gennaro (while watching a presentation) asks "Are these characters auto... erotic?" (presumably trying to say "automated" or "animatronic" but saying a mix of the two by mistake.) Hammond just says "We have no animatronics here", but is clearly struggling to maintain his composure.
  • Laughter in Paradise: During her spirited defense of Captain Russell in the courtroom, Shelia declares "This is bloody justice!"; earning her a shocked look from the magistrate. She then holds up one of Russell's novels, a western titled Bloody Justice, that she was referring to in order to prove he had an occupation.
  • Marvel Cinematic Universe:
  • In Night School (2018), Mila (a juvenile delinquent attending night school with various adults) attempts to defy this when she tells Theresa (a former teen mom and fellow night student) that she's going to try and get into college after getting her GED because seeing the other night school students has given her more incentive not to turn out like them. When she starts apologizing for how that might come across, Theresa assures Mila that she understands what the younger girl means, and even suggests that they try and get into the same college so that they can be study partners.
  • In Plan B, Bruno and Pablo have a Seinfeldian Conversation about how they wish they could have filmed the world as they saw it as children. Bruno remarks, "Let's go to the movies one of these days," to which Pablo automatically agrees, then there's a subtle Beat as it dawns on them that Bruno's statement sounded a lot like he was asking Pablo out on a date. Pablo asks him, "Why did you say that?" and Bruno replies, "I don't know. Free association, I guess." May also count as a Freudian Slip, considering that Bruno is in denial about being attracted to Pablo for most of the film.
  • Raising the Wind:
    • When Mervyn tells the others about Mrs. Deevens, his deaf landlady:
      Mervyn: The point is, you see, the landlady's absolutely as deaf as a post. They couldn't be more perfect. You have to write everything down for her. Well, there's no use banging on her door or anything like that. I banged away for hours yesterday. [beat] Nothing happened.
    • When Mervyn tries to convince the others to let Miranda move in with them, he remarks that they're all "bosom friends". Once he realises what he's said, he stutters and stammers and tries to explain that he's had her in mind to move in for a while.
    • Rutherford tells Malcolm he needs a woman... to tidy his office.
    • Rutherford also tells Chesney he has a screw loose, before clarifying it's an actual screw he lost in his office.
  • In School of Rock, Dewey Finn has just been exposed as a fake substitute teacher during parent's night. He tries to reassure the shocked parents with this line.
    Dewey: I have been touched by your kids. And I'm pretty sure I've touched them!
  • Shaun of the Dead: The group is hiding in a pub from the zombies, trying to be as quiet as possible, when the jukebox suddenly starts playing "Don't Stop Me Now":
    Shaun: David, kill the Queen!
    David: What.
    Shaun: The jukebox!
  • In Sherlock Holmes (2009), Irene Adler leaves Holmes chained naked to a bed with a pillow covering both his privates and the key to the chains. Holmes's efforts to persuade the chambermaid to help him could have been worded better:
    Sherlock Holmes: Madam, I need you to remain calm and trust me; I'm a professional. But beneath this pillow lies the key to my release.
  • In She's the Man, Paul said to Viola before she enters Ilyria, even lampshading:
    Paul: Just remember, inside every girl, there's a boy. [pause] That came out wrong, but you know what I mean.
  • In Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), while Tom and Maddie try to sneak Sonic into a building through a luggage bag, the two people next to them can hear Sonic and ask if his child is in his bag. Tom says no, but then clarifies that "yes, it's a child, but it's not mine", which prompts the other two people to walk away looking visibly weirded out.
  • In Transformers (2007), Sam has a Freudian Slip and blurts out to Michaela:
    Sam Witwicky: I was wondering if... if I could ride you home... I, I mean if I could give you a ride home.
  • Up Pompeii:
    • Lurcio trying to tell the audience what he does for Ammonia:
      Lurcio: I say "mistress", I mean don't I mean we... well I don't mean I... er, well... I mean I serve her. [beat] No, no, I mean, um, I try to give her satisfaction, I— Oh, form your own opinion.
    • When Lurcio asks a Christian how he survived being thrown to the lions:
      Lurcio: Oh, what happened? Did Nero have his thumb up? [beat] I'll rephrase that.
  • X-Men: Apocalypse has this when Professor X visits his old flame Moira McTaggert (whose memories he erased the last time they met):
    Xavier: It's wonderful to see you again — to, to meet you again for, for the first time, uh — you've got a son?!
    Moira: [puzzled] Yes.
    Xavier: Does he have a husband? Uhm...
  • In X-Men: First Class, the loud-and-clear message of Xavier's Oh, Crap! face after he says "they were just following orders." Played for Drama, as it was Magneto, someone who has been "at the mercy of men just following orders before", that heard him. Needless to say, he wasn't happy.

    Literature 
  • Ascendance of a Bookworm: While reading these, note that Myne is a seven year old girl as far as most people are concerned and that both Ferdinand and Benno are single adult men:
    • Early in Part 2, Myne needs to change outfits in the Gilberta Company, but the fact that the employee changing rooms are in the attic doesn't mix well with her low stamina. Benno's solution is to have a screen set up in his office and call a female servant to help Myne change. When Myne's friend Lutz comes down from his own changing room and sees Myne in her new outfit, her explanation is that "Benno helped".
    • In Part 3, Ferdinand mentions the fact that he (unwillingly) ended up watching Myne take a bath while he was visiting her Past-Life Memories in a way that makes it sound like he and Myne took a bath together.
  • Courtesy of Clockpunk from "Clockpunk and the Vitalizer":
    Clockpunk: Dr. Awesome seriously has to give me more to work with, lest this... this ne'er-do-well pound me into the concrete.
    Hm. Not the best choice of words.
  • Averted by Mustrum Ridcully of Discworld: he's blissfully unaware of saying anything wrong about the University's mighty organ, which is a Johnson (that is, the University's giant pipe organ was made by Bergholt Stuttgart "Bloody Stupid" Johnson), and nobody wants to correct him as this would only lead to further embarrassment.
  • In The Dresden Files book Turn Coat, Harry offers to help the leader of the White Council, the Merlin, prove the innocence of Morgan, as the politics involved in the situation prevent the Merlin from finding anything helpful without making it look like he's trying to save his own ass. When he asks why Harry intends to help him, Harry responds, "Because your balls are in a vise and I'm the only one who can pull them out." Cue arched eyebrow from the Merlin.
    Harry: Okay. That came out a little more homoerotic than I intended.
    Merlin: Indeed.
  • Falling Up by Brian J Bromberg: Gregg is in a bar with a drunk Alvaro, who shows him a sketch he made, then demands to know what Gregg has been working on:
    Alvaro: I showed you mine, now you show me yours!
    Gregg: You mind not screaming that so loudly?
  • In Heart In Hand, this conversation happens after Alex agrees to let the producers of his reality TV hockey show with Darryl pay for their plane trips and jokingly dubs it a "booty call":
    Darryl: Look, aren't you going to feel guilty if a tv network ends up paying for - for booty calls, as you said? I still can't believe you said that, by the way!
    Alex: Wait, is that trick question or something? First, nobody take what I say seriously, Darryl, and two, why feel guilty? I mean, yes, is definitely going to be booty call, but they also gonna film us!
    [Beat]
    Alex: Er, I didn't mean like that.
  • In The Heroes of Olympus, this is said word for word when Annabeth says she'll "flash" Leo to get his attention.
  • Keeper of the Lost Cities: In Lodestar, Sophie and Keefe hold hands as they levitate through an area. Sophie has recently manifested as an Enhancer, which makes her enhance the abilities of whomever she's touching — in this case, Keefe's empathic abilities. Keefe, who has not yet been informed of this, voices his observations:
    "So, quick question," he said as they picked their way through an especially dark hallway. "Is there a reason I keep getting this crazy rush every time I touch your hand?" He cleared his throat when he realized how that sounded, "What I mean is, your emotions always feel strong. But now they're on another level."
  • In The Rise of Kyoshi, Kyoshi is surprised when Rangi, Yun's overly-serious and attractive female bodyguard, comes to sleep in her tent while they're in hostile territory.
    "Shouldn’t you be sleeping with Yun?" Kyoshi said.
    Rangi’s head snapped so fast she almost snapped her own neck.
    "You know what I mean," Kyoshi said.
  • In The Sacred Blacksmith, Cecily asks Luke to forge her a katana, but he refuses. She declares she will prove herself worthy to wield one, puts her hand over her chest, and says she wants him to look at her. Luke blushes and Lisa gets excited. Cecily realizes what she just said and gets really embarrassed, trying to explain that she wanted him to see her heart and soul, not her body.
  • Scrapped Princess: After capturing the Cassull siblings, Princess Seness challenges Shannon to a duel. When he asks why, she meant to say she wanted him for her army since she knew he was a D-Knight. Except she didn't say it that way:
    Seness: [smug grin, while drawing her sword] I want you, Shannon Cassull, and I intend to have you.
    Raquel: [gasps and covers her mouth in alarm] My! How forward!
    Sness: [irate] Don't get the wrong idea! I only want you for my army!
  • Spy School: Lampshaded in one scene where Warren is being questioned once by the CIA.
    Warren: I don't know anything, my mind is completely empty. Wait a minute. That's not what I meant...
  • A variation happens in Sword Art Online, as the characters in question don't realize how wrong it came out until a few hours later. Kirito tells Asuna that he wants to spend the night with her, and given that he said it right after they saved each other from a murderer and confessed their love with a kiss, it's no surprise what Asuna assumed. So naturally, when she turns the lights off and strips down to her underwear, Kirito awkwardly tries to explain that he didn't mean it that way, much to her anger and embarrassment.
  • In Unlimited Fafnir, Yuu is questioned about his first meeting with Iris. He summoned a wave of water to interrupt Iris's summoning after a Naked First Impression. But the way she describes it, it makes him sound like a pervert trying to rip her clothing off, which doesn't help his situation any.
  • Whateley Universe: In "Toni and the Tiger", Toni is sitting in class wearing her new mithril bracelet. Nikki, being a Sidhe, is entranced by it.
    Mrs. Chulkris read off attendance and began today's lesson, something about Ley Lines. I couldn't pay that much attention because Nikki kept running her finger over my bracelet. Finally, I snatched my wrist away.
    Mrs. Chulkris stopped the lesson. "Is there a problem?"
    "Yeah! Nikki keeps fondling my bling-bling!" From the hoots of derision, I could tell that I could have phrased that better.

    Pinball 
  • Narrowly averted with Stern Pinball's Mustang; the Spelling Bonus drop targets for G-E-A-R-S were originally supposed to spell S-H-I-F-T until someone noticed what would be written if someone knocked down the letter "F"...

    Podcasts 
  • A discussion of the novelization of the Doctor Who story "The Aztecs" on the Doctor Who Target Book Club Podcast about a possible reference to Jesus goes over one panelist's head, despite the character in the book being crucified, leading the host to say, "But that's just it... that kinda nails it down..." before falling apart in a fit of giggles.
  • Subverted in the RiffTrax for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, during the battle of Gondor. Apparently that came out exactly right:
    Bill: Nice. Nothing like a good sack. Always cheers me up.
    Mike: [snickering] I bet it does.
    Bill: Yeah, a sweaty, blood-soaked sack will always improve my mood!
    Mike: Wow.
    Kevin: Bill, might want to reconsider your choice of words about the battle...
    Bill: ...Battle?

    Pro Wrestling 

    Radio 
  • In The BBC Radio 4 comedy God Squad, the tiny Christian Society at a university has accidentally started an environmental protest at the Freshers' Fair, and realise that the reaction they're getting from other students is the most positive support they've ever had. Despite being bad at public speaking, the organiser attempts to capitalise on this by talking about all the things environmentalists and Christians have in common, like wanting to protect the planet, and the life upon it. She concludes "I am pro-Earth! And I am pro-life! ...oh, no."
  • The Unbelievable Truth:
    • One episode recorded remotely during 2020 has David Mitchell inadvertently cause one of the panellists to go into a fit of the giggles because he asked her what she was wearing (he meant shoes). She said it sounded like "some weird Radio 4 sex line".
    • Another episode has everyone get into a discussion about a crocodile attacking people, resulting in David talking about a Mercy Kill arrangement, before noting he really didn't want his saying "finish me off!" taken out of context.

    Roleplay 
  • Dawn of a New Age: Oldport Blues:
    • Ciro tries to advise Michal on controlling his superpower, only to realise with embarrassment that his advice sounds like it's referring to something more salacious:
      Ciro: You just have to put up with it until you can get back to your room. Or sneak off somewhere private, like a toilet or something, and let it out...
    • Since Harriet has nowhere to stay for the night, Sebastian offers to shack her up in his house. His wording causes her to worry that he'll do something 'strange' to her, much to the amusement of his friends.

    Theatre 
  • Boston Marriage has subplots involving a fur muff that Claire received as a gift, and Anna's oven needing repairs that can't be carried out until replacement parts arrive, which combine to produce the moment when Anna's maid innocently declares, "While I was admiring your muff, your parts came."
  • In Holy Musical B@man!, while Green Lantern is having a conversation with Superman, GL reveals that he knows Superman's obvious secret identity. He then tries to make him feel better by saying, "Come on, nobody cares who Superman is."
  • Said pretty much verbatim by Warner in Legally Blonde during the breakup scene, when he accidentally implies he thinks Elle is tacky (it's unclear whether he actually thinks that, but he clearly didn't mean to say it).
    Warner: I'm gonna need somebody serious
    Less of a "Marilyn", more of a "Jackie"
    Serious
    Somebody classy but not too tacky —
    Elle: WHAT?
    Warner: Okay, that came out wrong...
    • In a later scene, when Elle takes Emmett clothes shopping, she comments about how she loves shopping for men and "watching them change right before my eyes"... just as Emmett is trying on some things in the dressing room.
      Emmett: Don't watch me change!
  • In The Music Man, the mayor mixes up a few words in his speech and ends up insulting his wife. The extent to which this is played up or glossed over depends on the production.
    Mayor: The Wa Tan Ye girls of the local wigwam of Heeawatha will present a spectacle, my wife — (Beat) In which my wife, Eulalie MacKecknie Shinn, will take a leading part.
  • Noah Smith's stage version of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde:
    • While providing medical care to Cybel, a prostitute, Jekyll tells her that she needs to be in bed, then quickly adds "And I mean resting."
    • Helen lowers her neckline to show Jekyll a birthmark and asks what he thinks; he responds "That's a very lovely neck" before verbally backspacing.
  • The song "Putting It Together" from Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George features this lyric:
    Gotta keep a link with your tradition
    Gotta learn to trust your intuition
    While you re-establish your position
    So that you can be on exhibit...
    [beat]
    So that your work can be on exhibition!
  • Invoked verbatim in Samuel D. Hunter's play The Whale: "There are other people, people like Charlie, for whom this amazing plan doesn't fit. You can't fit a round peg in a square hole, and you certainly can't fit a morbidly obese gay peg in a Mormon hole... that came out wrong."

    Video Games 
  • Anarchy Reigns: The Baron challenges Sasha to a fight. Jack asks if he has the endurance, and the Baron shouts that "I'll be done in thirty seconds!" Then it hits him.
    "Wait a minute... Motherfucker!"
  • In Assassin's Creed II, Ezio says this towards the beginning when seducing a girl.
    Ezio: May I come up?
    Girl: Fine. But only for a minute.
    Ezio: A minute is all that I'll need...
    Girl: Indeed...
    Ezio: Wait... that came out wrong.
  • From Baten Kaitos: Origins:
    Sagi: I'll... get wood. (Beat) At the tree! Tree wood!
  • From Batman: Arkham Knight, courtesy of the Riddler.
    Riddler: You solved it? Ah, but this is merely check, Detective. Soon, I will be mating you! Wait, I meant chess. Chess, you base, gutter-minded savage!
  • Borderlands series: Multiple games:
    • From Borderlands 2, out of Moxxi:
      Hell, I'm all wet. I mean...I spilled a drink. Before you came in. Not because you tipped me. Good God, I'm not THAT easy.
    • From Borderlands 3, out of Marcus's ammo vending machines:
      I've got bullets with your name on them! Wait... that came out wrong.
  • In Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2002), Buffy suggests to the Scoobies that "while everyone bones up on sigils and resurrection, [she'll] head over to the mansion and bone up on Angel".
  • Coffee Talk:
    • In Hendry's first visit, he tries to figure out how to relate to his daughter better by striking up a conversation with Freya and Aqua for ideas. Unfortunately, leading with asking about their age and about "what kinds of things kids like doing" comes off in a way he didn't intend. It doesn't help that he suddenly moves closer to the girls while doing so.
    • In Episode 2, Lucas tries helping Riona with her singing career amidst the prejudice by suggesting that she should "sell" herself, to Jorji's shock since he thinks he's talking about sex work.
      Jorji: Whoa kid, slow down. I might be lax, but I still work for the law.
      Lucas: No Pops, not that kind!!
  • Dragon Age: Origins has awkward, virginal Alistair agree to sex with a female Warden romancing him thus, if she initiates it: "I don't know, I'm willing to give it a shot if you are." The Warden can lampshade this unintentional bad choice of phrasing nastily with "'Give it a shot'? You weren't joking about the idiot part" - but Alistair will be very hurt and dump her if you do this.
    • In Inquisition, speaking with Sera about Blackwall will lead her to comment about getting to know him when he's off-duty; in her words, she'd like to "see him out of his armor. *Beat* Not like that!"
  • In the Final Fantasy XIV quest "Amber Alert", Gyoshu asks the Warrior to tell Yamakage, "I have your daughter." This sends Yamakage into a panic, wondering what he'd done to warrant the Namazu kidnapping his daughter and holding her for ransom. As it turns out, Yamakage's daughter had gotten lost and wandered too close to the serpent-infested One River, so the Namazu had escorted her to the safety of Yuzuka Manor. What Gyoshu meant to say is that Yamakage's daughter is with him and to come pick her up.
  • In Fire Emblem: Awakening, Sully accidentally tells Gregor in their C-rank Support Conversation that "I'll put you on the table!" She then pauses and adds "never mind" after realizing what she just said.
  • In the second episode of Game of Thrones (Telltale), one of Gared Tuttle's segments has Cotter, one of Gared's fellow Night's Watch initiates, saying that he was sent to the Wall because of "fuckin' potatoes". Gared can respond to that with "You fuck potatoes?", at which Cotter will get flustered and clarify that he meant that all he did was steal some potatoes.
  • From Golden Sun: Dark Dawn:
    Karis: ... So keep your Fireballs under control.
    Tyrell: I'm going to pretend I never heard that.
  • Idol Manager: A conversation that can trigger prior to the graduation of an idol who was hired relatively young has her talk about her upcoming graduation by using "spreading her legs" as a human equivalent of "spreading one's wings". She next goes on to use the words "mature" and "adult" while talking about what she's going to do next in a very Digging Yourself Deeper way. She doesn't notice what she's doing, despite another idol's attempt to subtly tell her.
  • I Was a Teenage Exocolonist: When Nomi-Nomi, who is sex-repulsed, explains to Sol the various ideas they have for their mural, they gush like this about making it a pirate ship.
    "Nomination, ruler of the high seas! Scourge of the seven winds! Plunderer of booty! (Beat) Um... maybe strike that last part."
  • The Jackbox Party Pack: In Trivia Murder Party 2 from Pack 6, the host has a bit of a faux pas in one of his introductions for the "Pegs" minigame.
    [redacted]: It's time for some pegging! ...okay, now that I've said that out loud, it does sound weird.
  • King of Fighters XIII: seen in the press conference in the Kyokugen Team's ending, when a reporter asks Yuri to describe her ideal husband and she unintentionally implies that she wants to marry King. Watch it here.
    Yuri: (thinking aloud) Hmm... Let's see... That's a tough one... I think they would have to be someone who was nice and polite...
    Yuri: ("Aha!" pose) Oh, I know! Someone like King!
    (King dope slaps Yuri)
  • The Mass Effect series:
    • The original game has one from Liara: "I just think you'd be a fascinating subject for an in-depth study. ...No, no, that's even worse!"
    • Mass Effect 2 has an example from Garrus Vakarian if you romance him as a female Shepard: "You know me. I always like to savor the last shot before popping the heat sink... wait. That metaphor just went somewhere horrible."
    • Mass Effect 3 Citadel DLC, you may witness a non-romanced Garrus attempting to woo a female turian with: "There's this really big gun I'd like to show you." As in, the Normandy's main cannon.
  • Minion Masters: The Announcer sometimes invokes this at the beginning of a game.
    Announcer: "Masters! Get your Minion on! Wait, that didn't come out right..."
  • Johnny Cage of Mortal Kombat fame has a tendency to hit on the ladies when he isn't trash-talking everyone in sight. In 11, he does this to Cassie (Johnny's daughter with Sonya Cage) without even meaning to, and immediately regrets it.
    Johnny: What's cookin', good-lookin'?
    Cassie: Ugh, NO! Seriously!?
    Johnny: ...wait, what?! Not what I meant!
  • In the 34th Chapter of My Cafe, Ben comes across a bucketload of money and tries to use his newfound wealth to impress Emily. He wants to tell her that he intends to donate the money to an Animal rights organization she's involved with, but flubs the sentence and making it sound like he's trying to solicit her for sex.
  • In Orcs Must Die! when you put a trap. The war mage says, "This is gonna hurt me more than it hurts you. No, wait, the other way around."
  • Persona 3 has an early scene between the main character, Yukari and Junpei, the day after the hero stumbled upon Yukari armed with her evoker during the Dark Hour and she asked him not to tell anyone about it. Junpei's heard that the hero and Yukari walked to school together that morning and playfully asks if there's anything going on between them. Yukari brushes him off as reading too much into things, then immediately checks to make sure the main character hasn't told anybody "about last night". Cue Junpei's jaw dropping open, and Yukari freaking out as she realizes what he thinks she means.
  • Pokémon:
    • In Pokemon Platinum, the rival drags you off to Lake Verity to find the legendary Pokemon Mesprit for Professor Rowan, as thanks for giving you starter Pokémon. However, he suddenly stops and exclaims that you don't have any balls... and immediately has to clarify that he meant Poké Balls.
    • Lillie from Pokémon Sun and Moon has an encounter with an Alolan Exeggutor, she comments on how it's "grown a bit more vigorously than I'd prefer!" She then stops with a look of horror on her face as she realizes how bad that sounded.
  • This is the unfortunate reason why Schezo is mislabeled as a pervert in Puyo Puyo. When he says "I want you!" he usually means "I want your X!" He does correct himself at times, but Arle knows his inarticulate habits well enough to correct him too. The English localization of Puyo Puyo Tetris dials it up significantly, to the point around half his lines contain something that can be misinterpreted as an innuendo.
    Schezo: I want you to give me all of you!
    Arle: You know, it makes you sound like a pervert when you put it that way.
  • In the first Splatoon, the introduction of the Pirates vs. Ninjas themed Splatfest in the Americas had the following exchange between the Squid Sisters.
    Callie: It's time to swab the deck and plunder the booty!
    Marie: Whoa there, Callie. Let's keep it E for Everyone.
  • Touhou Fuumaroku ~ the Story of Eastern Wonderland has Meira announce her intentions to "take the power of Hakurei". She means it as a challenge. Reimu takes it as a proposal. Hilarity Ensues.
  • One Stop Poking Me! quote from Warcraft III's Undead Acolyte is attempting to make a praise for a certain something in a Shout-Out, only to realize that he got the wrong 'something', and might end up being called a heretic and probably excommunicated or sacrificed for sheer humiliation instead of good purpose, considering that he's practically a demon worshipper.
    "MY LIFE FOR AIUR!! Er, I mean, Ner'zhul!"
  • Yes, Your Grace: One petitioner shows up with a strange disease that makes his skin itch all over. The man is one of the few people King Eryk can help without using a single resource, as he believes being touched by a king cures diseases. If that option is taken, the man will show up later to thank Eryk, feeling much better. Almost as soon as he leaves, Eryk's own skin starts itching. After spelling out that the disease is probably something that goes away on its own after a while, Eryk's advisor Audry suggests that Eryk could make his recovery faster by touching himself.

    Visual Novels 
  • Ace Attorney
    • The first game has one in the second case: "I'll get to this woman's bottom! Wait... I mean... you know what I mean".
    • The 3rd case of the 2nd game has Phoenix being rather impressed by Max's "ample bust". The statue kind, not that one...
    • In Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney: "Okay, Justice, time to take advantage of her... I mean, of her mistake".
  • In Collar × Malice, in Sasazuka's route, when wanting to ask him more about how to play games relating to their case, Ichika innocently texted Sasazuka if he was free tonight and that she wanted to see him. An uncharacteristically flustered Sasazuka actually calls her and once he finds out her actual intentions, he angrily tells her to not say such ambiguous things before hanging up. Ichika then becomes mortified when she realizes the implications.
  • Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair:
    • During Chiaki's fourth free time event, after Hajime catches Chiaki after she trips, Chiaki says "You're pretty hard, Hajime." Following Hajime's flustered reaction, she clarifies that she meant his arms and chest are well-built.
    • In Chapter 5, when the group is debating whether or not the victim would have died instantaneously from being impaled with a spear:
      Sonia: If you got penetrated by something so big and thick, you would die instantly!
      Kazuichi: ...I'm sorry... I didn't catch all that...
      Sonia: Like I said, if you got penetrated by something so big and thick, you would die instantly!
      Kazuichi: [blushing] Ah, say it one more time... I need to record it... for reasons...
    • Part of this joke is lost in translation: the word Sonia uses for "die" sounds identical to "come". It helps that "die" is old slang for the orgasm in English, though.
  • Kyousuke from Little Busters! has a few of these, mostly involving very Ho Yay-ish comments to Riki made without him realising it. For example, when Riki is moaning about how having 'indecent' thoughts about Kyousuke is desecrating their friendship and Kyousuke suddenly says 'Riki, wanna do it with me?' ...in reference to playing tabletop baseball. Or when he ends up in a very touchy position with Riki, making it look like they're almost kissing, and when Mio notices, asking her if she wants to join...because he has an announcement to make and wants to know if she'll listen as well.
  • War: 13th Day has it from the one you would least expect to hear it from in this hilarious scene:
    Ambrosia: Then, sleep with me.
    Arsenik: Sleep with you. Hmm... that's a very tempting offer.
    Ambrosia: I-I meant beside me! There's room, to be certain.

    Web Animation 
  • In the DEATH BATTLE! episode between Naruto and Ichigo, Wiz describes the power potential of an attack Ichigo withstood as compared to "taking 54 Little Boys to the face". Cue Record Scratch, Boomstick laughing his ass off and the cast of Bleach staring in disbelief before Wiz has to Verbal Backspace and clarify that he meant the atomic bomb.
  • Homestar Runner:
    • In the Strong Bad Email "one step ahead", the "different direction" ending has Strong Bad glue Strong Sad's hands to his butt, leading to the following exchange.
      Homestar: Er, Strong Sad. Why are you touching your buttocks? That's pretty weird.
      Strong Sad: I can't help it!
      Homestar: Okay, that's really weird.
      Strong Sad: No, wait, you don't understand!
    • From Which 'Ween Costumes?, a short that appears to be a costume round-up from a Halloween toon, but was released around Decemberween:
      Strong Bad: I think we may have gotten our... "weens" crossed.
      Strong Sad: Can you please never say that again?
  • From "I Can Swing My Sword" by Tobuscus: "Swinging is my business — and by that I mean swinging swords..."
  • From Red vs. Blue:
    Tucker: I don't know what the technical military term is for it, but, uh, we're pretty fucked up down here. We need men!
    Vic: [pauses] Dude, how long have you guys been down there?
    Tucker: No, no, no, n-not like that! We need more men to help us.

    Tucker: I'm a lover, not a fighter!
    Church: Yeah, me too, Tucker. We're just a couple of lovers.
    Tucker: That sounded gay, dude.
    Church: Yeah, it kinda did...

    Tex: Alright screw it. You guys get behind me, and stay tight.
    Tucker: Bow Chika Bow Wow.

    Caboose: I am home, Caboose is home, I'm the place to be! So come on gents and bring your friends and cram yourselves inside of me! That's... not... That is NOT what I meant.
  • RWBY: Quiet example. Penny (who is a robot) asks Winter why she's acting weird being home. Winter says she wouldn't understand, and Penny gets depressed. Winter, realizing what that sounded like, clarifies that Penny's not the problem, it's that her home life was so uniquely terrible that you'd have to have lived it to understand it.
  • This exchange from Spriggs: a Halo 3 Machinima. Fortunately he manages to salvage the situation shortly afterwards:
    Volin: General V, out.
    Triple M: Bitch.
    Meme: [overhearing] EXCUSE ME!?
    Triple M: No, not you, the other bitch... Oh, that came out wrong!
  • In the Zero Punctuation review of Catherine, Yahtzee concludes that the lesson to take away from the game is "men are all directionless tidal waves, and women are all dikes built in the path of their raging floods... Blimey, what a badly-worded metaphor."

    Webcomics 
  • Cucumber Quest:
    • When Princess Parfait is discussing her boyfriend, Sir Carrot:
      Knightmare Knight: The famous coward.
      Parfait: Ah, you've 'eard of him. I—I mean no!
    • And later, in a confrontation between Almond and Peridot:
      Peridot: So I'm not here for this thing... I'm here for you. [Beat] I mean—
  • Cursed Princess Club: When the Pastel Princesses and Plaid Princes go to an amusement park haunted house full of Monster Clowns, one "vampire clown" jumps out at them only to get knocked to the ground by Lorena kicking him in the head. Gwendolyn walks over and asks if he's fine, to which he replies that he just wants to "be left alone so no one can see me like this." Then he suddenly gets a good look at Gwen's face with her unintentional Slasher Smile as she gives this unintentionally creepy line:
  • Dominic Deegan:
  • Here's a related one from 8-Bit Theater:
    Thief: Hey, his awkward admission dooms the team. Mine only dooms the whole world and possibly not us. (beat) That sounded less damning in my head.
  • El Goonish Shive
  • Asher manages a good one in Get Medieval.
    Torquel: Hey, where were you the day of Le Noir's party?
    Asher: Giving birth to his daughter.
    Torquel: ... What?
    Asher: No, wait, that came out wrong.
  • In Girl Genius, this can happen if a Spark doesn't take the time to explain something properly:
    Agatha: We're just going to kill you, and then you'll be fine!
  • At the end of Chapter 18 of Go Get a Roomie!, Lillian invites Roomie to sleep in her bed and Roomie promises to "be good in bed".
    Roomie: Sorry! Double meaning not meant! Joke! Hah!
  • Grrl Power:
    • "#604 – Rooftop relationship roundup": "When do you sleep with all of these boyfriends?", interpreted as a question for details, with the "When" as in "What specific times", but it was intended as a expression of incredulity, which would be more direct as "How do you find the time to do that?"
    • Sydney's lack of filter between her words and her thoughts mean it happens a lot to her.
      Sydney: You just stormed the cockpit and are yanking on the joystick! And that came out way dirtier sounding than I intended!
  • Homestuck:
    • A conversation between Dave and Rose:
      DAVE: ill be the ambassador to your mom
      DAVE: and no that wasn't actually meant as the sick burn it sounded like
    • Additionally:
      TT: Mine and DS's. It's a joint proposal. I'm always authorized to speak on his behalf because I'm basically fucking him.
      TT: And try not to take those last four words as a clustered literal sentiment. That would be lame and unfunny.
    • As well as:
      uu: THERE ARE ONLY A FEW MOVES LEFT.
      uu: BEFORE I CAN MATE WITH HER.
      TT: Whoa.
      uu: WAIT. FuCK. WHAT DID I SAY?
      uu: I MEAN.
      uu: BEFORE I CAN MATE HER.
      uu: MATE. AS IN CHECK MATE. IT'S A FIGuRE OF GODDAMN SPEECH.
    • At one point, Dave asked to hang out with Rose later but she couldn't because she already had plans with Kanaya who is at this point her girlfriend. Dave, annoyed, tells her that then he'll just dream up his own John and have fun with him instead. Rose sniggers. Dave tells her to STFU.
    • Even In Loose Canon work such as Paradox Space Dave's verbal blunders continue. Most notably during the Summerteen Romance comic, when part of Karkat's "script" actually infuriates him.
      Dave: i will sue you for this karkat i am going to get legal on your ass
      Dave: there will be motions and debriefings and punitive action
      Rose: Will there
      Kanaya: Good God Dave Phrasing
      Dave: stfu
  • Kevin & Kell: Lindesfarne didn't mean that remark quite the way Rhonda took it.
  • Leif & Thorn has scenes where Thorn, speaking Sønska (not his first language), doesn't even know the line could be a double entendre until Leif (a native speaker) starts blushing.
    Thorn: So...When do you want to get off with me?
    Leif: ...
    Thorn: ...Should I double-check that I translated that idiom correctly?
    Leif: YES PLEASE
  • Maximumble: In "Parts", A child innocently says that they're drawing their mom's "downstairs parts". They are, of course, referring to their mom's feet, which she uses to go downstairs.
  • Used Word for Word by Rumisiel in Misfile. Sometimes that boy only opens his mouth to change feet.
  • Narbonic
    • Subverted:
      Helen: It's not pleasant, but Dave and I will have to swap spit!
      [beat panel]
      Mell: Um... I don't think that came out the way you meant it—
      Helen: Oh, yes it did.
  • O Human Star. Oh, Al.
    Al: I'm not really the hot researcher on the robotics circuit you're confusing me for. I don't get calls. And the competition for your job wasn't exactly stiff.
    Brendan: I find that hard to believe.
    Al: [shocked silence]
  • Outside Interference:
    Kate: So, where to now?
    Gina: Don't you remember? I told you in bed this morning.
    ... It sounded fine in my head.
  • The Order of the Stick has General Tarquin says the following (believing he's speaking to a gay man):
    Tarquin: I'll see what I can do about getting us playing on the same team. The army team. Not the, you know, "other team" team. Like I said, I could use more men like you under me... and now I realize that maybe that's not the best turn of phrase, either.
  • Paranatural: Agent Day tries to tell Spender and Zarei that she's excited to solve the mysteries of Mayview.
    Day: I'm so pleased to be a part of your story. And… if I could help bring it to an end… it would mean the world. Truly.
    Spender: is that a death threat
    Day: HUH?? N-NO, I MEANT—
  • Penny and Aggie
  • Reunion (2021):
    • Rhea asks Shiro what his favorite place in the city is. Given he's something of a loner, he bluntly replies "my bedroom", before his eyes widen and he clarifies he isn't propositioning Rhea.
    • Rhea tries to prod Shiro into revealing what his job is. He tells her that he works the night shift at the Family Business. Rhea teasingly asks if he's a stripper, then in an effort to be supportive adds that she'd totally hire him. She then realizes what she'd just said and backtracks.
  • Schlock Mercenary does it all the time, often in the form of "-...word choice? -Word choice." after the speaker realizes how it sounds. As sure as the sunrise!
  • Skin Horse: In this strip, Nick the helicopter cyborg attempts to assure Sweetheart the talking dog that her taking shelter from a blizzard in his airframe is a mutually beneficial situation and accidentally phrases it as "Ain't nothing like spending a cold night with a warm dog inside you."
    • Subverted in this one. Julie Rome vows to stop infecting people with lycanthropy and to start making werewolves in the natural way. She means this exactly the way it sounds.
  • Synodic Reboot: The typo-prone Rennard in a conversation with Alethea.
    Rennard: i mean i cant figure out how to play it in my currentstate but im sure if its working for them they dlike to fucok on it
    Alethea: Excuse me what
    Rennard: *focus on it
    Rennard: im tyoping to fast
    Alethea: Maybe you should slow down a bit
  • Tales from the Pit: Here.
    Black can do things that people think of as good, just as White can do things that people think of as evil. (If you don’t understand that I'm talking about Magic: The Gathering's color pie, this reads poorly.)
  • Think Before You Think: In this comic, after Julia reveals that she's Going Commando, Brian says, "Hey, don't worry. I was bound to find out eventually," because he can read minds and he tends to know things.
  • Undead Friend: Mahalah is accidentally goaded into saying some innuendo but she doesn't realize it and nobody explains it to her so she remains confused by their reactions.
  • Venus Envy: Larson discovers there is no hot water in the boys' showers and tries to sneak into the girls' showers, thinking they're empty. Lisa finds him and starts screaming at him. He responds with "Oh, like I've never been in a girls' locker room before!" Lisa, who does not know that Larson is in fact a Transgender man, interprets this the obvious way and slaps him.

    Websites 
  • Acts of Gord:
    Notes to self:
    Talking to a person about being into the hardcore gaming scene is completely different than talking to them about the hardcore anime scene. In future, I must find a new adjective.

    And do not, I repeat, do not say "if she is really into the hardcore anime scene, I can get import DVD's from Japan and Hong Kong" when I'm talking to a 14-year-old girl's mother.

    Further notation: Do not attempt to salvage this by then saying "I mean, I can get DVDs from Japan that you can't get here."

    Next time, say "really likes anime" and "can get DVD's not on sale here yet."
  • Cracked: The 8 Manliest Images on the Internet:
    Robert Brockway: Yes, here they are, eight prime examples of why I love men... Wait, that came out wrong! Don't start the list ye—
  • Not Always Right:

    Web Videos 
  • Agents of Cracked:
    Dan: I like combining my man-parts with those of a child.
    Mandy: ...Huh?
    Dan: I... like combining my man parts with those of a child?
    [Mandy looks disgusted and leaves]
    Dan: Why did I say it twice?
  • Brains: Happens to the main character Alison Sumner when discussing her dating problems: "Hi! I'm Alison, and altogether too many women survived the apocalypse. No, no, nonono!"
  • Dragon Ball Z Abridged has a few of these, several centered around characters only knowing one definition of the word "Balls". Goku is also a fountain of material for this, but never quite realizes it.
    • There's also the accidental calls to George Takei...
      Goku: Then he went and brought this really horny guy!
      George: Oh my.
      Goku: Who's that, King Kai?
      King Kai: It's George Takei. Somehow we made this into a three-way.
      George: Ohhhh my!
      King Kai: Call! Three-way call!
    • During Popo's training session:
      Tien: No! Chiaotzu, my partner!
      Yamcha: ... gay.
      Tien: Hey, at least I don't spend all of my free time living alone with a cat!
      Yamcha: Hey, at least I get some puss— wow, that did NOT come out right.
    • From a later episode, when the Ginyu Force arrives on Namek:
      Ginyu: Now, Jeice, we need to touch on Freeza's balls.
      Jeice: Uh, Captain...
      Ginyu: Yes, yes. Realized it the moment I said it.
    • With all the innuendo Cell spouts, it was inevitable he'd slip up sooner or later:
      Cell: I'm gonna need that time machine, so I can—
      Trunks: Go back in time and absorb the Cyborgs.
      Cell: So I can achieve my—
      Trunks: "Perfect" form.
      Cell: Okay, you suck. You are sucking all the fun out of this! I'm the only one who sucks here, boy— that came out wrong.
      Trunks: Nah, sounds right to me.
  • Good Mythical Morning: Rhett and Link are eating chips made out of various different bizarre ingredients, and the grand finale of the episode is a chip made from a yak's private parts. Rhett remarks at one point that he's "Getting a little... straight... penis," and then attempts to backtrack. But the real kicker is this;
    Rhett: I mean, based on expectations coming into this, [[Catchphrase Will It Chip?]]
    Link: No!
    Rhett: Would you rather just have a straight penis?
    Rhett nearly slams his head on the desk.
    Link: Don't do that again!
    Rhett: I'm sorry!
    Link: But since you asked: no.
    Rhett: Okay, alright! I'll join the bandwagon: Will It Penis? I mean—
    Rhett and the crew are busting up laughing
    Link: What is wrong with you!? ...that's another episode, man!
    Rhett: Write that one down!
  • The youtube channel ChannelFrederator was left red-faced after one of their stars said which characters from Gravity Falls needed the "casting couch treatment". They actually meant which actors would fit live-action depictions of the cartoon characters in a movie but he wasn't aware that the "casting couch" has a reputation in a different type of filming industry.
    youtube commenter: "The casting couch treatment"? Oh boy.
    ChannelFrederator: o_O
  • B. Dylan Hollis:
    • In the "date cream" video:
      No clue. I've never made a date cream before. *Beat of realization, then hysterical laughter* I've never cooked a date cream before!
    • In the ANZAC biscuits video:
      One cup of oats! I love oats, they taste like grandparents — I mean, they don't taste like — you know what I mean!
    • In the "Civil War Cake Video":
      Add nuts. HOW MUCH?! I need nut instructions!
  • The Funniest Minecraft Videos Ever: Two instances happen during the "Beating Minecraft Without Leaving The End" video: Tommy refers to his shack as the "Boy Hole", and calls people who play on the Bedrock Edition of Minecraft "Bedrockers", much to the chagrin of everyone else. Even after Tommy realizes what he said, he still makes another joke about it.
  • Dan of Game Grumps has this problem on more than a few occasions:
    • When they are playing The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past they encounter Kiki the Monkey who asks for 10 rupees just to come along, and then 100 more to open the dungeon. Dan compares him to a "Nigerian Prince" scam and then immediately realizes he just compared a monkey to Nigerian people.
      Dan: You know where the Big Key is? I do! Gimme your bank numbers! I'm a Nigerian Prince!
      [beat]
      Dan: Not to say that people from Nigeria are like monkeys! Jesus Christ I can see the fucking like Racism Patrol like, ugh, God, just looking to start shit! They are so ready! They are so ready to make any connection!
    • And during The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask when Arin is getting the man-shit kicked out of him by a monster clam in a fish tank (it happens), Dan decides to announce he's going to look it up online without remembering what "clam" happens to be slang for:
      Dan: Okay! Time to look up "How to beat the clam!"
      [beat]
      Dan: Actually, that'll probably bring up some porn sites...
    • And when playing the REMake of Resident Evil, part of Jill's uniform gets obscured so her S.T.A.R.S. logo simply reads "TAR". Dan, without thinking, blurts this gem out:
      Dan: You guys need this driveway fuckin' re-tarred?
      [beat]
      Dan: Actually, Wait!!!
      [hysterical laughter from both of them]
      Arin: DID YOU JUST SAY "RETARD", DUDE?! YOU DID! YOU SAID "RETARD!" YOU CAN'T SAY THAT!!! That's a bad thing to say!
      Dan: It is. I'm sorry. I never even considered that was a thing.
  • Honest Trailers: In the trailer for Zootopia, the narrator has several missteps when talking about the film's messages.
    Narrator: So settle in for a fantastically animated, well-told lesson about disproving stereotypes, even though the fox character really is sneaky, the weasels do cheat, and the sloths are slow. Oh, wait, no. Does this mean I'm racist? I owned a bunch of rabbits when I was a kid. I mean... No, they were mine, but not that I... You know, not like they're property or, uh... Look, I love rabbits, okay?! This... That came out all wrong! Go to starring! Go to starring!
    [...]
    Narrator: ...and Hot Fuzz. You get it? 'Cause she's a bunny cop, but she's hot, too. Wait, n—I can say that she's hot, though, right? Dangit, am I a racist and a furry now?! Ugh, this movie is such a minefield.
  • On Johnny Chiodini's solo channel (as opposed to their past work with Eurogamer or their work with Oxventure), they have such a record for doing this when streaming that they have a special screen they'll put up when something comes out badly.
    Johnny: (playing Stardew Valley) Jesus Christ, that's a deep-throated cockerel, isn't it? Wait, no, oh God.
    (Cue screen saying "One moment please, I've said something I regret")
  • Joueur du Grenier do this from time to time.
    • For example in the TMNT special:
    JdG: Relatively speaking, the racism was okay... [beat] That's absolutely not what I meant.
    • And again in the Duke Nukem Forever review, where he complains that "at least in the earlier games the women didn't talk." before clarifying he meant that at least they didn't spew vapid, innuendo-filled idiocies like they constantly do in Forever.
  • Jerma985:
    • From "Jersey Boys in Sentry Town":
      Jerma: [after he died anticipating Star_ to tell his story] Yeah but I was paying attention to the notion that you were going to tell the story, that's it, as I was sitting there, whacking the gunnote  *STAR_ tried to stifle his laugh*
    • Lampshaded in 'The Lob Slobs', after Jerma talked with a weird voice and explained to STAR_ that he has to be 'in the mood' for the video and STAR_, Jerma then imitated a typical shipper's reaction in the comments section:
      Jerma: Hey, did you see that top comment? Jerma wants to be in the mood for STAR_ mwuh mwuh mwuh-
  • Linus Tech Tips: In "The Fatal Flaw in HP's Omen 45L broke me":
    Linus: You will end up with the same great 45L design, just with less HPenis choding it up. I need a sponsor to cleanse my palate.
  • Marik Plays Bloodlines: Happens very often to Marik. They are usually accompanied by the sound of Bakura bursting into laughter in the background. Marik rarely gets it.
    Marik: This isn't the first time I've shot in a guy's face!
    Bakura: [dies of laughter]
    Marik: Why are you in such a giggly mood, Bakura?
  • The Nostalgia Critic does this in his Old vs. New for The Karate Kid with the line: "What's the better movie that everybody wax off to? That sounded really bad."
  • Outside Xbox: On "Show of the Weekend" for 26 January 2019, Mike and Luke are talking about decluttering, and the idea that one should get rid of everythat does not "spark joy." Mike is not keen.
    Mike: Every single bit of my junk sparks joy.
  • RebelTaxi:
  • In Screen Junkies' "Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's Wedding Surprise!" video, Dwayne Johnson discusses his role to officiate Nick's wedding to his fiancee. What he said was:
    The Rock: Today I'm going to marry Nick Mundy! [Beat] Let me clarify... to his fiancée.
  • Tekking 101: In his video about Kido in Bleach, talks about a Bakudo spell called the "Numbing Finger" and Urahara using it on Rukia. He corrects himself... by phrasing it even worse.
    Tekking101: So basically Urahara just like, taps Rukia and... that came out wrong, uh, Urahara FINGERS Rukia. Okay, that's better.
  • True Capitalist: One day, while presumably talking about guns (as he has made numerous references to Texans being allowed to carry concealed guns), Ghost said that "I always walk around here in Texas, with my strap on... uhh well that didn't, that didn't really, that didn't really sound right." As opposed to a "strap-on" by any chance?
  • Karolina Żebrowska: In her "Breaking Down Tall Vampire Lady's Iconic Look" Karolina says "I did notice a lot of 1930s inspiration and if I was to date her—if I was to date her charact—if I was to assign the character to a particular time period"

    Western Animation 
  • Adventure Time: In "It Came from the Nightosphere", when Finn is about to face Marceline's demonic dad:
    Marceline: Finn, you're like an ant to him.
    Finn: Oh, yeah? Well this ant's about to get in his pants!
    Marceline: [raises an eyebrow] What?
    Finn: [blushing] Well — you know! Because I'm going to make him uncomfortable while I release those souls!
  • American Dad!:
    • One episode has Jeff running off to Burning Man with a brainwashed Francine. Stan suggests that he and his daughter Hayley should date to get back at Jeff/Francine.
      Stan: Wait a minute... Daddy didn't think that through.
    • In "Rough Trade", Stan is mistakenly arrested for domestic abuse and to get him out of it, Roger pins the blame on a Jerkass co-worker. The cops find Neo-Nazi paraphernalia in his car, and the guy points out that "this is America", so his freedom of speech is protected. However, the head detective is Jewish and has the guy taken to his car, obviously to beat and/or kill him. As the cops drag him off, the Jerkass says "What is this, Nazi Germany?! ...Wait, that would be awesome!"
  • This happens so frequently in Archer that someone, usually Archer, will almost always say "phrasing" whenever it occurs.
    Mallory: You wanna play me hard?
    Sterling: Phrasing.
    Mallory: Well, then, you better nut up!
    Sterling: Phrasing!
    Mallory: Because I've swallowed just about all I'm going to take from you!
    Sterling: HEY! PHRASING!
  • Avatar: The Last Airbender shows:
    • Non-sexual example from Avatar: The Last Airbender:
      Zuko: I want my father to not think I'm worthless.
      Iroh: I'm sure he doesn't! Why would he banish you if he didn't care?
      [Zuko shoots him an angry glare and walks off]
      Iroh: ... That came out wrong, didn't it?
    • Book Four of The Legend of Korra provides one of the few instances that this trope is Played for Drama.
      Korra: [to Katara] Of course I'm frustrated! A crazy man poisoned me, and now I can't dress myself, or cook for myself, or-or do anything for myself, and this whole time, my friends have been out helping the world while I'm stuck with you, and you can't even heal me! [Beat] That came out wrong.
  • The Beetlejuice episode "Mom's Best Friend" had the Ghost With The Most turning into a dog but he can't revert back because of a restrictive collar around his neck. Sweet, innocent Lydia brandishes a pair of scissors and says "I know how to fix it. I'll cut it off!" B.J. shrieks in fright.
  • One episode of Ben 10: Alien Force has a non-dirty but insulting example; a villain gets the upper hand on Ben and gloats that this is the last mistake he'll ever make. Cue Kevin, who retorts that Ben will make many more mistakes as he charges to the rescue. He immediately lampshades that that wasn't the way he meant the words.
  • The Bojack Horseman episode "Ruthie" has Princess Carolyn say this verbatim after referring to her bearded assistant Judah as her "hairy number two".
  • Rallo can sense something wrong with Holt's rap on The Cleveland Show.
    Holt: I'm paying a young boy for sex!
    Rallo: Uh, I don't think...
  • This moment from the Earthworm Jim episode "Conqueror Worm":
    Jim: Quick, little buddy! Whip me! Whip me!
    Peter Puppy: I beg your pardon?
    Jim: I meee-an, use me like a whip!
  • The Fairly OddParents! two-part episode "School's Out! The Musical" has the Pixies persuading Flappy Bob into wishing for the world to be boring. Trying to stop them, Timmy tells Bob he knows the Pixies are the ones who gave him all he wanted, and Timmy is the one who tore down his dream, but Bob needs to listen to Timmy. Timmy then realizes his mistake.
  • Family Guy:
    • When Brian tells Lois that a lovestruck Meg made him eat the hair from her (literal) pie, her response is to punch him. He tries to explain, but is only able to say that Stewie had some too, which results in another punch.
    • Played with in another episode when Peter is teaching Meg how to find a boyfriend. Obviously referencing the idiom "Beating someone off with a stick", Peter says to Meg "Soon you'll be beating off guys with both hands". The audience 'waits for it', but Peter being Peter, he doesn't catch onto what he said.
    • The same episode does a similar gag with Lois and Chris.
      Lois: All right, now that we've practiced kissing and cuddling, it's time to practice eating out... at a fancy restaurant!
    • In "Peter's Got Woods", when Brian dates Meg's African-American teacher Shauna and tries to be a kiss-ass to her:
      Brian: You know, I've always wondered why they named it after James Woods, you know? I mean, there's gotta be somebody more deserving. Like, just, you know, off the top of my head, uh, I don't know, Sidney Poitier, uh, Reggie Jackson, Martin Luther King, uh, you know, those are just three names that come to mind.
      Shauna: Brian, that's a great idea! We should get them to rename the school after Dr. King.
      Brian: You like Dr. King? Because I love Dr. King. I love MLK, man. He's-He's my guy. He's-he's... I mean, I love all black people. You know, I mean, if I... if I could take all the black people in the world, and just, you know, just buy a farm somewhere and, and let them all... Uh, whoa, you know, what? That, uh, actually, that didn't really come out right.
    • In "He's Bla-ack!", Lois and Donna get into a fight, leading Lois to declare that the Griffins will have nothing to do with "that Brown family". Stewie reminds her that what she just said can sound really bad out of context.
  • The pilot to Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends had a humorous scene where Duchess proposes to Mac's older brother Terrence that they work together, but Terrence is grossed out because he thinks she is coming on to him.
    Duchess: You and I should hook up!
    Terrence: Oh, man! I think I'm going to be sick!
  • The G.I. Joe: Renegades episode "Dreadnoks Rising" had the sheriff respond to a compliment from his crush by stating that she should see him out of uniform. He quickly realizes that his statement could be interpreted as saying that his crush should see him naked, so he tries to clarify he meant nothing lecherous by his statement before deciding to simply say "Forget it".
  • Gravity Falls: In "Soos and the Real Girl", when Soos realizes his crazy virtual ex-girlfriend Giffany has followed him on his date with Melody, he excuses himself with "Could you sit tight? I have to go to the bathroom for a long time... not in a weird way!"
  • Hazbin Hotel when Lucifer confronts Adam during the Extermination that starts at the Hazbin Hotel, he proclaims he is going to "fuck them", causing everyone to quietly look in surprise and for Angel and Valentino to look in amusement before Charlie whispers that the line should be "fuck you up".
  • Invader Zim: During the showdown with Tak in "Tak: The Hideous New Girl", Zim happily makes this cocky remark when Tak loses control of her ship, only to immediately realize what he just said.
    Zim: You're a worse pilot than I am! (Beat) Wait...
  • Johnny Bravo: In the episode "Third Dork From The Sun", when Johnny inadvertently ends up on an alien game show, the bonus round is against an alien with a massive brain in a contest for absorbing thoughts. But when he tries it against Johnny, his head explodes.
    Johnny: Ha! Maybe next time you try to absorb a person's mind, you'll make sure he has one! Wait, that didn't come out right.
  • In the Justice League Unlimited episode "Epilogue", as Amanda Waller explains to Terry how she had his father's reproductive DNA replaced with Bruce Wayne's to make Terry Bruce's son:
    [flashback shows a shot of the original Batman being bandaged by a paramedic as a technician collects a sample from a bloodstain]
    Amanda Waller: Bruce's DNA was easy enough to obtain. He left it all over town.
    [end flashback, Terry raises an eyebrow]
    Amanda Waller: Not remotely what I meant.
  • In the Kim Possible episode "Ill-Suited", Ron steals Kim's battlesuit and uses it to cheat his way into the position of star quarterback of the football team out of fear that Kim would dump him for a jock (based in part on misunderstanding a conversation he overheard). This is revealed when Professor Dementor uses a remote device to take control of the suit, whilst Ron is still in it. He attempts to explain his position... poorly at first (whilst being controlled to fight Kim).
    Kim: You cheated your way onto the football team!
    Ron: Yeah, but that was just a perk. I was really trying to cheat on you... [notices Kim's angrier expression] —For you! To win you!
  • Inverted in a King of the Hill episode where Dale needs the help of a very attractive woman to exterminate a flock of pigeons that have infested the alley:
    Dale: [in a very high voice] Dale Gribble, Dale's Dead Bug. [aside] Damn, did I say "Dale's Bug Dead"?! [resumes] Dale Gribble, Dale's Dead Bug.
  • The Loud House: In the episode "Pipe Dreams", after Mr. Loud installs tons of security measures to keep the kids from entering the secret bathroom he and Mrs. Loud build for themselves, and also a mechanism to trap them inside if they do manage to get in, Mrs. Loud cheers "We'll catch them with their pants down". She then realizes how that can be interpreted considering it involves a bathroom and quickly states it's just a metaphor.
  • The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack: In "Oh, You Animal", Bubbie attempts to explain about her and Flapjack:
    Bubbie: He doesn't live with me. He lives inside me. (pause) My mouth! He lives inside my mouth! (pause) That sounds weirder than it is.
  • Rick and Morty: When Rick invents glasses that allow the wearer to view alternate realities, Beth and Jerry learn that their alternate lives where Summer was never born are far more glamorous and interesting than the ones where she was, including their current lives. When Summer expresses distress at the revelation, Beth explains that in the other lives "since you were never born, we [Beth and Jerry] were free to live our dreams. That sounded wrong, that sounded very wrong!".
  • The title character of Ruby Gloom, shortly before a major public appearance, gets what's supposed to be a motivational speech from her friend Misery. It doesn't help that Misery gets so worked up over the speech that she's practically shouting by the end of it.
    Misery: Oh, yeah — don't worry about failing, even though you only have this one day to get it right and if you mess it up you'll never be invited back ever... that didn't come out right. See you there.
  • A subversion in an episode of Sealab 2021. Marco leaves some tamales outside Quinn's door and tells Debbie that they should leave without bothering him because he'll probably be "busy with that hooker for awhile." Cue Debbie's outraged "WHAT?! A HOOKER?!" and several minutes of people going "Uh-oh!" Finally:
    Debbie: I can't believe he’s with a hooker!
    Marco: No, no! He's watching T.J. Hooker.
    Debbie: I thought you said he was with a hooker.
    Marco: No, he's watching TJ Hooker. On television.
    Marco: [laughs]
    Debbie: [laughs]
    Marco: [laughs]
    Debbie: [laughs]
    Marco: [laughs] ...with a prostitute.
    Debbie: WHAT!?!
  • The Simpsons: In "Last Exit to Springfield", Mr. Burns tries to bribe Homer, who has recently become the union leader. It doesn't work out quite right due to his choice of words:
    Mr. Burns: We don't have to be adversaries, Homer. We both want a fair union contract.
    Homer: [thinking] Why is Mr. Burns being so nice to me?
    Mr. Burns: And if you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
    Homer: [thinking] Wait a minute. Is he coming on to me?
    Mr. Burns: I mean, if I should slip something into your pocket, what's the harm?
    Homer: [thinking] My God! He is coming on to me!
    Mr. Burns: After all, negotiations make strange bedfellows. [chuckles, then winks at Homer]
    Homer: [thinking] Aaaaagggh! [out loud] Sorry, Mr. Burns, but I don't go in for these backdoor shenanigans. Sure, I'm flattered, maybe even a little curious, but the answer is no!
  • In the Sonic Boom episode "Blue With Envy", this exchange occurs between Swifty the Shrew and Tails when Sonic challenges the former to a race to see who's the fastest:
    Swifty: Man, can you believe that guy? What a lameoid!
    Tails: That lameoid is my best friend! That didn't come out right.
    • In another episode, "Fortress of Squalitude", where Eggman invites Amy to help him decorate his lair and the others try to disuade her:
      Amy: Is it so hard to believe Eggman might actually respect my talents?
      Sonic: Well, yeah! Wait, that came out wrong...
  • South Park both subverts and plays straight. For example:
    Cartman's mom: [rings up Kyle's mom] Uhm, Sheila? I'm sorry to trouble you with this, but apparently, your son has a picture of Eric with another boy's penis in his mouth.
    Kyle's mom: ... ... excuse me?
  • Star Trek: Lower Decks:
    • "No Small Parts": An argument between Mariner and Ransom about whether he is too hard on her immediately goes south in exactly the way that you'd think. Bonus points for Ransom trying to unknot his use of the word in front of Freeman, Mariner's mother. For the remainder of the conversation, he holds a PADD in front of his crotch.
      Ransom: From now on, I'll make sure to give you special attention.
      Freeman: No! Be as hard on her as you always are!
      Mariner: Yeah, be hard on me!
      Ransom: I'm only hard on you when you make me hard! I mean I'm— I'm not hard right now! I mean I could— I could get hard, if I wanted to, but I'm not hard right now. I'm so sorry! You're both great!
    • "The Spy Humongous": Boimler tells the Redshirts that Riker needs extra room tailored into his pants, then quickly adds that it's for his legs, because he's so tall.
  • The Super Hero Squad Show: In "The Ballard of Beta Ray Bill", Thor at one point declares that he will prove himself a true warrior by fighting naked. When bystanders are disgusted, he says he meant fight without weapons.
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) has Casey attempting to propose to April using a hockey analogy.
    Casey: April, I love you like... like Gretzky loves hockey, and I wanna play you for the rest of my life... Dah! I mean your life! I-I mean Gretzky's life! I mean—
  • Owen of Total Drama has done this repeatedly.
    Owen: I'm glad we're in a separate cabin with just guys!... I mean, no! Not like that! I love the ladies. I just don't want to sleep with them. NO! Wait!
  • During a party to celebrate Team Voltron's first victory in Voltron: Legendary Defender, Princess Allura tries to bond with Pidge, bringing up the fact that they've both lost their fathers to the Galra to presumably coax her into talking about being in the midst of a Sweet Polly Oliver. Pidge replies "Yeah but I'm going to get mine back." (which is true as her father is merely missing while Allura's has been dead for 1,000 years) before looking horrified.
  • Xiaolin Showdown: When Jack Spicer hears that the good guys don't have a plan:
    Jack Spicer: Wow, all this time I thought you guys were like these amazing Xiaolin geniuses, but it turns out you're just as pathetic as me! [laughs] Wait, that didn't come out right.
  • Young Justice (2010)
    • A serious one occurs in "Homefront". Robin and Artemis are looking at the security footage to find out what ambushed their friends, only for all four cameras to be wiped out while recording the ambush.
      Robin: That's it. All four are dead.
      [Artemis looks at him in horror]
      Robin: [hurriedly] The cameras. I meant the cameras.
    • A more humorous version happens in "Humanity".
      Zatanna: Tornado never knew my moves!
      Robin: And I bet you've got some good ones!
      [Beat]
      Robin: Whoa! Sorry, that may have come off a little too Wally.
      Zatanna: I don't mind.

    Real Life 
  • Comedians Laurel and Hardy would create foreign language versions of their films by reshooting scenes while reading cue cards containing phonetic translations of their English scripts. When watching a film with a Spanish speaking audience, the duo was surprised when the audience burst out in laughter at what was supposed to be a mundane line. Stan Laurel inquired about it and was delighted to learn that an unintentional mispronunciation had transformed his line into a crude joke.
  • This pastor's blooper reminds us all of the importance of good enunciation while preaching.
    Preacher: Lot chose to go pinch his tits— excuse me... um, "pitch his tents" is what I said, and you heard nothing else here, this is Church! [laughter from the congregation]
  • The BBC is a state-funded broadcaster obliged to be even-handed in politics. This certainly precludes calling Members Of Parliment rude names. Which makes this occasion of James Naughtie accidentally making the worst spoonerism of "Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt", here pronounced with an extra C rather amusing. Note also the "coughing fit" that follows.
  • British cricket commentator Brian Johnston was well known for generating highly quotable gaffes, including the often quoted "The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey". His fit of giggles when co-commentator Jonathan Agnew's said "He just didn't quite get his leg over"note  when Ian Botham was given out after accidentally knocking over the wicket while batting, was voted the favourite moment of sports commentary by BBC Radio 5 listeners.
  • iPhone's Autocorrection function can cause... amusing effects on your text messages. Android doesn't seem to do much better, though. There's an entire website dedicated to this.
  • People with Asperger Syndrome. Because they are much more socially naïve than most people, they tend to fall into this while talking. It may take longer for them to realize it, too, because they often have trouble reading others' facial expressions—in fact, unless there's a more obvious cue (such as someone bursting out laughing), they may not realize their mistake at all, and even then they may not know what, exactly, the problem is.
  • It's possible to trip someone up in saying this or "putting words in their mouth" so to speak if they're not focusing on what you are saying:
    Guy 1: Don't worry. I'm the man!
    Guy 2: You the man.
    Guy 1: I'm the man.
    Guy 2: You're a pedophile.
    Guy 1: TO THE CORE! (Beat) Wait, WHAT??!
  • There was one caused by badly translated supertitles during a performance of Tosca. Tosca ordered her lover to change the eyes of a Madonna he was painting from blue like his model's to dark like Tosca's. The supertitles translated the line as "Give her black eyes" and the audience burst out laughing. This caused the soprano playing Tosca to storm off the stage in rage.
  • During Rooster Teeth's RTX 2015 panel for RWBY, the creators were showing off some merchandise, ending with the reveal of the Volume 3 poster. Wanting to show the detail of the poster to the audience, Miles Luna and Kerry Shawcross fight with the Windows Photos program they're using before Kerry finds the zoom option. Since the program zooms in on the center of whatever it looks like and the poster central figure is main heroine Ruby Rose, it unfortunately zooms in on her crotch and hips, sending Miles, Kerry and the audience into hysterics and Lindsay Jones, Ruby's voice actress, to admonish them before joking around herself.
  • TV news reports, morning shows, etc can be prey to this, especially when the anchors try to improvise or banter.
  • An urban legend tells of a woman pulled over for speeding. She offers to buy some tickets to the policeman's ball, but the cop responds with "Sorry ma'am, state policemen don't have balls." After realizing what he said, he tears up the ticket and walks away rather than have to face her in traffic court.
  • A non-sexual example in this post on Reddit, in which the poster explains that they've mostly quit smoking cigarettes, but sometimes they do give into temptation. Or, as they put it, "sometimes I do crack." Responses pounce on it immediately, but the original poster was evidently clueless.
  • Just a few months after the Boston Marathon bombing, The Hives played in the city. Frontman Pelle Almqvist decided to interact with the appreciative crowd... in a way that didn't sit well with the recent tragedy: “This song’s for everyone in Boston. It’s about stuff blowing up. It’s called 'Tick, Tick, Boom'.” The following day, the band had to send an apology, with Almqvist stating the bombing "never once crossed my mind while on stage, and of course it should have."
  • Travelling Renaissance Faire performer Jacques Ze Whipper regularly takes requests at his shows, and when someone suggested "All The Single Ladies" by Beyoncé, Jacques says "Okay, I will do 'All The Single Ladies'," and instantly realizes what came out of his mouth. When all the women in the audience cheer, he says "The song, people! The song!"
  • In 2017 during a press conference, a reporter tried to ask Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson about his quarterback Carson Wentz' meteoric ascent and whether it might be concerning to see a young quarterback elevate so quickly (as this can sometimes result in a One-Hit Wonder and regression). Unfotunately, the reporter ended up asking Pederson about whether he was worried about a "premature explosion". Pederson was unable to keep a straight face at that one.
  • During an episode of NFL GameDay Final after the Kansas City Chiefs won a playoff game, Chris Rose praised KC's defense before asking co-host Maurice Jones-Drew, "Is it possible that [Kansas City] could ride the D?” Jones-Drew's reaction says it all.note 
  • One interview from a Tennis player (Daria Saville) ended up like this. Daria was asked how she was able to continue playing even when she was down. Her response came out as:
    Daria: …yeah, I’m good from behind. Oh…! (cue the crowd laughing and cheering)
    Reporter: Not gonna go there. Come here! Come back here, you’re still young!


That Out Came Wrong Came Out Wrong Too. note 

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Mr. Carburettor

He means the swimsuit he got for his birthday.

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