sleek

1 of 2

adjective

ˈslēk 

1

a

: smooth and glossy as if polished

sleek dark hair

b

: having a smooth well-groomed look

sleek cattle

c

: healthy-looking

2

: smooth in speech or manner

also : unctuous

3

a

: having a prosperous air

sleek luxury condominiums

b

: having trim graceful lines

a sleek car

c

: elegant, stylish

a sleek wardrobe

sleekly adverb

sleekness noun

sleek

2 of 2

verb

sleeked; sleeking; sleeks

transitive verb

1

: slick

… grooms sleeking cooled horses …

—Sunset

2

: to cover up : gloss over

intransitive verb

: slick

Synonyms of sleek

Adjective

• polished
• glossy
• glistening

Choose the Right Synonym for sleek

sleek, slick, glossy mean having a smooth bright surface or appearance.

sleek suggests a smoothness or brightness resulting from attentive grooming or physical conditioning.

a sleek racehorse

slick suggests extreme smoothness that results in a slippery surface.

slipped and fell on the slick floor

glossy suggests a highly reflective surface.

photographs having a glossy finish

Examples of sleek in a Sentence

Adjective

the sleek lines of a sports car

a striking beauty with sleek raven hair

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

From relaxed wide-leg silhouettes to sleek, office-ready pairs, these versatile pants work for everything from casual days to nights out. —Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026

Cartier, Baignoire Cartier gave its Baignoire timepiece a major glow up in 2023, and despite unveiling it alongside a wide repertoire of technically avant-garde creations, this sleek little party watch stole the show that year. —Charlie Boyd, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026

Verb

For the final touches, Priyanka styled her luscious locks down and sleek with a side part, and glammed up with glowy makeup. —Christina Perrier, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026

And while she’s known for experimenting with her look — from waist-length neon wigs to sleek blunt bobs — Cardi has shown that her natural hair is full and long, stretching down her back. —Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

alteration of slick entry 1

Verb

Middle English sleken, alteration of sliken — more at slick entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for sleek

• beak
• beek
• bleak
• cheek
• chic
• clique
• creak
• creek
• eke
• freak
• geek
• greek

Kids Definition

sleek

1 of 2 verb

ˈslēk 

: to make or become sleek

sleek

2 of 2 adjective

1

a

: smooth and glossy as if polished

sleek dark hair

b

: having a smooth healthy well-groomed look

sleek cattle grazing

2

: having a prosperous look or manner

sleekly adverb

sleekness noun