slip 1 of 3

1
2
as in to stumble
to go down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily be careful not to slip on the spilled oil

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to sneak
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way casually slipped it into the conversation

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in to lurk
to move about in a sly or secret manner slipped behind the cover of the trees

Synonyms & Similar Words

5
6
as in to shed
to cast (a natural bodily covering or appendage) aside periodically crabs slip their shells and grow new ones

Synonyms & Similar Words

slip

2 of 3

noun (1)

as in strip
a long narrow piece of material baskets woven from slips of wicker

Synonyms & Similar Words

slip

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
2
as in fall
the act of going down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily had a nasty slip on the ice

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun slip differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of slip are blunder, error, lapse, and mistake. While all these words mean "a departure from what is true, right, or proper," slip stresses inadvertence or accident and applies especially to trivial but embarrassing mistakes.

a slip of the tongue

When is it sensible to use blunder instead of slip?

The meanings of blunder and slip largely overlap; however, blunder regularly imputes stupidity or ignorance as a cause and connotes some degree of blame.

diplomatic blunders

When is error a more appropriate choice than slip?

In some situations, the words error and slip are roughly equivalent. However, error suggests the existence of a standard or guide and a straying from the right course through failure to make effective use of this.

procedural errors

When would lapse be a good substitute for slip?

The synonyms lapse and slip are sometimes interchangeable, but lapse stresses forgetfulness, weakness, or inattention as a cause.

a lapse in judgment

When can mistake be used instead of slip?

The words mistake and slip are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mistake implies misconception or inadvertence and usually expresses less criticism than error.

dialed the wrong number by mistake

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of slip
Verb
Gustavsson stopped the first 13 shots sent his way before New Jersey winger Paul Cotter got his first goal of the season, slipping a low shot between the goalie’s knees following Connor Brown’s set-up pass from below the goal line. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025 For a time, the once ironclad dominance of men – especially White men – in the corporate boardroom appeared to be slipping. Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
There’s an internal zip pocket for valuables like your wallet or keys, as well as a slip pocket for easy access to items like a cellphone or sunglasses. Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025 His entire ski line is considered a no-fall zone—skiing’s equivalent of free soloing—where one mistake or slip can result in an uncontrolled fall and certain death. Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 29 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slip
Verb
  • And King Priam, at great personal risk, shows up with a ransom and falls on his knees and clasps Achilles’ hand.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • As Semafor previously reported, many inside the magazine were excited by Guiducci’s arrival, believing the old Vanity Fair was moving too slowly, had fallen too far outside the zeitgeist, and had lost some of its sheen.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Although the discovery has only now been formally studied, cavers from the Czech Speleological Society first stumbled upon the phenomenon in 2022 during an expedition in Vromoner Canyon.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Uber reported strong growth in its third-quarter earnings report on Wednesday, but stumbled on the bottom line after absorbing a $479 million charge for what the company described as undisclosed legal and regulatory matters.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Brissett and the Cardinals responded immediately, marching 74 yards in 11 plays before Brissett snuck one across at the goal line.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Tibetan parents, fathers mostly, also snuck into India to leave their children at the school.
    Diaa Hadid, NPR, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Analysts say the new submarine appears to be based off the Russian Borei class of SSBNs, able to lurk deep under the surface without being detected.
    Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Nobody in Toronto has been obsessing about hockey for weeks now, so this is as close as the Leafs will ever come to being able to lurk in the background.
    Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • As Snell continued to tire and miss his spots, Toronto’s opportunities kept flowing.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Drawings of the Duffield Cave, as seen in the YouTube video, show that the section has a narrow entrance, then curves upward before flowing left, dropping down again and bending right before angling back up to a larger chamber.
    Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Assisting guests to create memorable experiences through the years means Ali has also seen his fair share of requests that shed light on some of the biggest travel mistakes.
    Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
  • During his interview with Fox News Digital, Aaron shed some light on his character.
    Ashley Hume , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The structures were sagging under the weight of so many books.
    Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The dilapidated wooden trim and sagging porticos were spruced up a few years ago after preservationists complained to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, but the upstairs windows reveal glimpses of peeling paint, crumbling plaster, and collapsing ceilings inside.
    Kim Velsey, Curbed, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In between all of that, a botched tripping call early in the second quarter took a huge pass play off the board for Miami, which would have gotten the Dolphins inside Baltimore’s 10-yard line.
    The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
  • McDaniel was blunt about his view of the tripping call against Ollie Gordon that negated a long completion to Jaylen Waddle.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slip. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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