slither

verb

slith·​er ˈsli-t͟hər 

slithered; slithering; slithers

intransitive verb

1

: to slide on or as if on a loose gravelly surface

2

: to slip or slide like a snake

transitive verb

: to cause to slide

Synonyms of slither

• snake
• crawl
• creep
• slide

Examples of slither in a Sentence

The snake slithered through the garden.

To get under the porch, I lay on my stomach and slithered like a snake.

She slithered quietly into the room.

He slithered his hand around her waist.

Recent Examples on the Web

In video footage captured, the reptile can be seen slithering in between the front wheels of the car in search of an entry point underneath. —Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025

In one apt spooky season flourish, a pet snake features prominently in the clip, at one point slithering all over Offset’s grinning face. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025

Zelina slithered on the ramp in a snake-like manner as Black stood behind her. —Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025

This massive snake, which can grow over 9 feet long, was seen slithering across a road, a rare sighting in this region. —Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English slideren, from Old English slidrian, frequentative of slīdan to slide

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for slither

• cither
• dither
• hither
• ither
• thither
• whither
• zither

Kids Definition

slither

verb

slith·​er ˈslit͟h-ər 

1

: to slide or cause to slide on or as if on a loose gravelly surface

2

: to slip or slide like a snake