slither

verb

slith·​er ˈsli-t͟hər 

slithered; slithering; slithers

intransitive verb

1

: to slide on or as if on a loose gravelly surface

2

: to slip or slide like a snake

transitive verb

: to cause to slide

Synonyms

• belly
• crawl
• creep
• grovel
• slide
• snake
• worm
• wriggle

Examples of slither in a Sentence

The snake slithered through the garden.

To get under the porch, I lay on my stomach and slithered like a snake.

She slithered quietly into the room.

He slithered his hand around her waist.

Recent Examples on the Web

Then, as Claire looks into the eyes of a coyote and senses chaotic energies rising within her, the hum gravitates downward, with double-basses and piano slithering across the classically diabolical interval of the tritone. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024

Hide the creatures in pots and planters on your front porch, perch a few on lounge chairs, or attach them to columns to mimic the look of them slithering up your house. —Beverly Rivers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Sep. 2024

There are rattling leaves, slithering snakes, and clinking glasses. —Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2024

The border wall stretched out like a snake slithering up and down hills to the horizon. —Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English slideren, from Old English slidrian, frequentative of slīdan to slide

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Kids Definition

slither

verb

slith·​er ˈslit͟h-ər 

1

: to slide or cause to slide on or as if on a loose gravelly surface

2

: to slip or slide like a snake