slippery

adjective

slip·​pery ˈsli-p(ə-)rē 

slipperier; slipperiest

1

a

: causing or tending to cause something to slide or fall

slippery roads

b

: tending to slip from the grasp

a slippery fish

2

a

: not firmly fixed : unstable

b

: not precise or fixed in meaning : ambiguous, elusive

3

: not to be trusted : tricky

slipperiness noun

Synonyms

• furtive
• shady
• shifty
• sly
• sneaking
• sneaky
• stealthy

Examples of slippery in a Sentence

The trails were muddy and slippery.

Fish are slippery to hold.

The sign cautions: “Slippery when wet.”

Recent Examples on the Web

Comments Over nine seasons, Harvey (Gabriel Macht) and his fraudulent associate Mike (Patrick J. Adams) foiled multiple foes, from slippery criminal Charles Forstman (Eric Roberts) to crafty Anita Gibbs (Leslie Hope) to original name partner baddie Daniel Hardman (David Costabile). —Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 9 May 2025

Forever is set in the near past, and that’s the only element of the production that leans toward slightly slippery avoidance. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 8 May 2025

In some areas, the agency said hazardous and slippery road conditions could impact morning commutes on Wednesday. —Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025

The moisture-wicking that’s built into outdoor basketballs generally helps the ball from becoming slippery or absorbing moisture. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

slipper entry 1 + -y entry 1

Note: As the earliest occurrence of slippery appears to be in the Coverdale Bible (1535, Psalm 35:6), it has been suggested that the addition of the suffix -y to the adjective slipper copies German schlipfferig in Luther's translation of the same passage (1534, present-day German schlüpfrig). The German word is ultimately from the same Germanic base as slip entry 5 (see Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology).

First Known Use

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing slippery

• slippery elm
• slippery slope

Kids Definition

slippery

adjective

slip·​pery ˈslip-(ə-)rē 

slipperier; slipperiest

1

: having a surface smooth enough to cause one to slide or lose one's hold

2

: not worthy of trust : tricky, crafty

slipperiness noun