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

• 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

Meanwhile, Mercury and later the sun will slither through Scorpio, energizing your creative and romantic sector, sparking ideas and potential passion projects. —Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025

The slithering snakes and biting lyrics spelled out revenge. —Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025

As well as reports of a loose alligator, some users reported that a boa constrictor was slithering around Belle Isle, too. —Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 29 Sep. 2025

The snake, maybe a foot long, stretched its head above the surface of the lake, its body slithering as though on land. —David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

before the 12th 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