slither

verb

slith·​er ˈsli-t͟hər How to pronounce slither (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As May approaches the eastern brown snake, the reptile darts off, crossing the pink room to slither under a desk. Kelli Bender, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025 But Porsha is upset that Drew is using her as material for the show in the messiest way possible, slithering behind the scenes to create storylines with her ex. Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2025 But these would seem puny compared with some of the snake species that slithered on Earth millions of years ago. Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 28 Jan. 2025 His rapping has a frail, slithering quality; his vocal tone morphs between cute squeakiness and ragged rottweiler growls. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slither

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of slither was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slither.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slither. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

slither

verb
slith·​er ˈslit͟h-ər How to pronounce slither (audio)
1
: to slide or cause to slide on or as if on a loose gravelly surface
2
: to slip or slide like a snake

More from Merriam-Webster on slither

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!