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

Many existing options are either too short, prone to peeling lacquer, slippery when wet or too expensive for daily use. —Rachel King, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024

The antagonistic interplay between Bruno and George is also dealt short shrift, lacking an electrifying oomph and glossing over aspects (better charting George’s tireless mission and Bruno’s slippery sensibilities) that would’ve deepened their respective gains and losses. —Courtney Howard, Variety, 31 Oct. 2024

These slippery candies are then put in the freezer for three hours or more—after which, the frozen gummy bears are ready to try. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024

The interior sleeves are lined with a slippery taffeta to ensure frictionless pole plants on the uphill skin track. —Frederick Reimers, Outside Online, 31 Oct. 2024

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