slick

adjective

\ ˈslik

Definition of slick

(Entry 1 of 4)

1a : having a smooth surface : slippery slick wet leaves

b : having surface plausibility or appeal : glossy slick advertising

c : based on stereotype : trite slick stories soon forgotten

2a : characterized by subtlety or nimble wit : clever especially : wily a slick swindler

b : deft, skillful a slick ballplayer

3 : extremely good : first-rate

4 archaic : sleek sense 1

slick

verb

slicked; slicking; slicks

Definition of slick (Entry 2 of 4)

transitive verb

: to make sleek or smooth

intransitive verb

: spruce —usually used with up

slick

noun

Definition of slick (Entry 3 of 4)

1a : something that is smooth or slippery especially : a smooth patch of water covered with a film of oil

b : a film of oil

2 : an automobile tire made without a tread for maximum traction (as in drag racing)

3 : an implement for producing a smooth or slick surface

4 : a shrewd untrustworthy person

5 : a popular magazine printed on coated stock and intended to appeal to sophisticated readers

6 slang : a military helicopter without armaments that is used to transport troops or light cargo

slick

adverb

Definition of slick (Entry 4 of 4)

informal, dated

: in a smooth or clever manner "I must say they did it slick enough. They were old hands at the business."— Jack London

Other Words from slick Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about slick

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Choose the Right Synonym for slick

Adjective

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

sly, cunning, crafty, wily, tricky, foxy, artful, slick mean attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means. sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods. a sly corporate raider cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing. the cunning fox avoided the trap crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method. a crafty lefthander wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering. the wily fugitive escaped the posse tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering. a tricky political operative foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing. a foxy publicity man planting stories artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness. elicited the information by artful questioning slick emphasizes smoothness and guile. slick operators selling time-sharing

Examples of slick in a Sentence

Adjective

Be careful as you drive home—the roads are slick. big corporations and their slick lawyers The new kid had some slick moves on the basketball court. The students did a slick job of promoting the concert. The video game has slick graphics.

Verb

The rain slicked the roads. slicking the bottom of their skis with wax

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

But the latest talked-about spot is Fauna, opened in 2017 at slick winery-hotel Bruma. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Next Great Food Scene, Beach Town, and More: The 2019 Trends We're Calling Now," 18 Dec. 2018 Shot by @yvanfabing #FashionAwards #Swarovski Meghan went for a sleek goddess look in an asymmetrical, black velvet Givenchy dress with gold bangles, metallic Tamara Mellon sandals, and a slick bun. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle Posed for a Gif Photo Booth Just Like Any Other Celeb," 11 Dec. 2018 Street style can oftentimes feel formulaic: fancy dress with sneakers, pajama-like sets with heels, sleek suiting with slick boots... — Ana Colon, Glamour, "Let This One Perfect Outfit Convince You to Buy a Tulle Skirt for Fall 2018," 10 Sep. 2018 With the big mouth Toyota’s been slapping on its cars, the brilliant hue, and the sleek shape featuring slick lines, this Corolla is an attention-grabber—which is a weird thing to say. — Andrew Moseman, Popular Mechanics, "They Made the Toyota Corolla Cool," 29 June 2018 Officials said wind could carry the ash toward the southeast and told residents to shelter in place and avoid driving, due to low visibility and slick roads. — James Rogers, Fox News, "Hawaii volcano's 'explosive' eruption sends ash plume soaring, prompts warning," 17 May 2018 In Connecticut, more than 100 schools were delayed or closed due to slick roads, reported NBC affiliate WVIT in Hartford. — NBC News, "Spring snowstorm makes a mess for commuters in the Northeast," 2 Apr. 2018 Watch out for coaches who come across as too slick or who use fear to motivate you. — Elizabeth Bernstein, WSJ, "Can a Dating Coach Help You Find Your Soul Mate?," 10 Dec. 2018 Little is known about the 7.8-inch FlexPai phone beyond a series of slick-looking renders, but Royole is already taking preorders for the device, which is due to begin shipping in December. — Michael Simon, PCWorld, "Unless Samsung is trolling us, a folding Galaxy phone is finally coming this week," 5 Nov. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

From what can be seen, the style seems to be slicked down in front, then fastened into a low ponytail that falls just below the belt. — Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, "Jennifer Lopez Shows Off Extra Long Ponytail by Stylist Chris Appleton," 17 July 2018 In the holiday feature, viewers get to see the beautiful area where bakery worker Ellie (Brooke D'Orsay) and city-slicking CEO Nick (Daniel Lissing) will battle over the future of the business, which is renown for its Christmas Kringle pastries. — Jessica Leigh Mattern, Country Living, "Hallmark's New 'Christmas in Love' Movie Was Filmed in the Most Romantic Small Town," 11 Nov. 2018 Yes, the Buffalo native with the slicked-back hair just positioned himself as a front-runner for the next installment of the ABC reality show. — Jessica Radloff, Glamour, "Is Jason Tartick the Next Bachelor?," 24 July 2018 The Tre looks completely different from the Nikola One and Two, which have a more slicked-back aerodynamic style. — Sean O'kane, The Verge, "Nikola teases a third-generation hydrogen semi truck for Europe and Asia," 5 Nov. 2018 With slicked-back grey hair and a frail frame, Salemme is almost unrecognizable from the bulky mob boss depicted in grainy surveillance photos from his heyday. — Fox News, "Ex-Mafia boss 'Cadillac Frank' sentenced to life in prison," 13 Sep. 2018 The crisp, white look was further accented by her slicked back blonde hair and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry. — Marina Liao, Marie Claire, "Kylie Jenner Arrived to the VMAs in a Classic White Blazer Dress," 21 Aug. 2018 Jet-black, squid-ink spaghetti is slicked with a squid stock, a sweet scallop puree, and a rucola sauce that hits a balancing bitter note. — Stan Parish, WSJ, "‘Go Beyond Sushi’: Tokyo’s Culinary Gems," 19 June 2018 As for her hair, Jenner’s locks were slicked back in a low updo. — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, "Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid Light Up Cannes on Glamorous Girls' Night," 13 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

That estimate if far above the 16,000 gallons (60,500 liters) of oil that the U.S. Coast Guard estimated in 2015 had been spotted in slicks over seven months. — Jeff Amy, The Seattle Times, "Federal lawyers: Gulf oil leak spills much more than thought," 17 Sep. 2018 Laura Taylor and Ryan Holliday-Stevens aren't minimal purists, but they like a sleek line, sculptural elements, a slick cut, solid black and white with an occasional intense wash of color. — Kerry Pieri, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Solace London Designer Wears The Pants, Four Chic Ways," 26 July 2018 The styles are rich-guy slick and beautifully detailed. — Megan Gustashaw, GQ, "Your 2018 Sunglasses Shopping Guide," 28 Mar. 2018 Thoroughly coat the fillet and an inch or so of the surrounding parchment with the olive oil, creating a slick and glossy surface. 4. — Gabrielle Hamilton, House Beautiful, "Gabrielle Hamilton's Salmon With Creamy Lemon Rice," 14 Mar. 2012 Government lawyers recently disclosed a new estimate that approximately 10,500 to 29,400 gallons (39,747 to 111,291 liters) of oil is leaking daily from the site where slicks often stretch for miles off Louisiana’s coast. — Michael Kunzelman, The Seattle Times, "Company can be ordered to drill to end 14-year-old oil leak," 21 Nov. 2018 Beyond the paper, EVGA’s overhauled Precision X1 overclocking software is looking slick. — Brad Chacos, PCWorld, "Every custom GeForce RTX 2080 and GeForce RTX 2080 Ti you can preorder, and why you shouldn't," 21 Aug. 2018 Lingard of United scored a beautiful goal Sunday after a slick give-and-go with Sterling of City. — Brian Straus, SI.com, "England's New Three Lions Appear to Be a Different Animal at This World Cup," 24 June 2018 Eric Marasheski, La Salle, infielder: The slick-fielding senior shortstop was voted the Catholic League’s defensive player of the year. — Rick O'brien, Philly.com, "Rick O'Brien's 2018 all-Southeastern Pennsylvania baseball team," 16 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'slick.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.