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Definitions

slippery

[slip-uh-ree, slip-ree] / ˈslɪp ə ri, ˈslɪp ri /
ADJECTIVE
smooth, slick
Synonyms
STRONGEST
glistening greasy icy perilous polished silky unsafe unstable wet
WEAK
glacé glassy glazed like a skating rink lubricious lustrous satiny sleek slimy soapy unctuous unsteady waxy
Antonyms
STRONGEST
dry safe secure
WEAK
unslippery
ADJECTIVE
uncertain, unreliable
Synonyms
STRONGEST
elusive shifty slick smooth treacherous tricky unpredictable unsafe unstable
WEAK
cagey changeable crafty cunning devious dishonest duplicitous evasive false fly-by-night foxy inconstant insecure mutable slithery sneaky two-faced unsteady untrustworthy variable
Antonyms
STRONGEST
forthright frank harmless honest rough
WEAK
certain definite reliable stable

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Admittedly, answering emails on the weekend can be a slippery slope.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

This "slippery slope" argument has been repeatedly raised during debates at Holyrood.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

But I did enjoy the montage of people sliding on slippery lanes; that stuff never gets old.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

The unexpected material proved extremely slippery and heat resistant and later became widely used in nonstick cookware and industrial applications.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

Martin Neimöller, the German theologian, summarized the slippery march of evil in his often-quoted statement:

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Vocabulary lists containing slippery

Spelling Practice 1, Unit 9

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