slick back/down

phrasal verb

slicked back/down; slicking back/down; slicks back/down

: to pull (hair) back and make it look smooth or shiny by using water or some wet substance (such as hair gel)

He climbed out of the pool and slicked back his hair.

He had long sideburns and dark slicked-back hair.

Examples of slick back/down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Rodman's look was completed by accessorizing with a layered gold necklace, bracelets, and wearing her hair in a slick back bun. —Raven Brunner, People.com, 20 Apr. 2025

For her glam, the singer-actress maintained a sophisticated look with a slick back bun, deep gray-brown smokey eyeshadow, rosy pink cheeks and matte nude lipstick. —Michelle Lee, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024

The singer also wore a slick back bun and paired a dramatic gray-brown smokey eye with a matte nude lip. —Chiara Kim, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024

One image in the series captures the deep release of the springs: a young woman in the water with her back to the camera, her hair wet and slick down her back, while her male companion dunks his head back, only his face visible, upturned to the sky above. —Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2024