slippery slope
noun
: a course of action that seems to lead inevitably from one action or result to another with unintended consequences
Examples of slippery slope in a Sentence
His behavior will lead him down a slippery slope to ruin.
Recent Examples on the Web
Advertisement Sony’s acquisition of Alamo Drafthouse has, unsurprisingly, ignited discourse online, with some suggesting that the movie business is on a slippery slope that is looking increasingly vertical.
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Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2024
Once those debts go to collections, credit scores take a hit, which means car and home loans are harder to come by or are only offered with high interest rates — leading to a slippery slope for people who are already struggling with their bills.
—Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News, 11 June 2024
To withdrawal advocates, this will sound like a slippery slope to an endless mission in Iraq.
—Steven A. Cook, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2020
Establishing any type of personal relationship with a former patient could undo progress the patient may have made in treatment, and is a slippery slope toward blatantly unethical behavior.
—Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 24 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for slippery slope 
Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2024
Once those debts go to collections, credit scores take a hit, which means car and home loans are harder to come by or are only offered with high interest rates — leading to a slippery slope for people who are already struggling with their bills.
—Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News, 11 June 2024
To withdrawal advocates, this will sound like a slippery slope to an endless mission in Iraq.
—Steven A. Cook, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2020
Establishing any type of personal relationship with a former patient could undo progress the patient may have made in treatment, and is a slippery slope toward blatantly unethical behavior.
—Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 24 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for slippery slope
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slippery slope.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near slippery slope
Cite this Entry
“Slippery slope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slippery%20slope. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.
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