slip 1 of 3

verb

ˈslip How to pronounce slip (audio)
Definition of slipnext
1
as in to fall
to decline gradually from a standard level the store's quality of service began to slip after the new owners took over

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2
as in to stumble
to go down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily be careful not to slip on the spilled oil

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to sneak
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way casually slipped it into the conversation

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4
as in to lurk
to move about in a sly or secret manner slipped behind the cover of the trees

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5
as in to flow
to move or proceed smoothly and readily jumped into the car and slipped behind the wheel

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to shed
to cast (a natural bodily covering or appendage) aside periodically crabs slip their shells and grow new ones

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slip

2 of 3

noun (1)

as in strip
a long narrow piece of material baskets woven from slips of wicker

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slip

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
as in mistake
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy a careless slip of the tongue

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fall
the act of going down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily had a nasty slip on the ice

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3
as in escape
the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement gave her pursuers the slip

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in trip
a wrong judgment that's not the sort of slip that a prudent person would have made

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun slip differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of slip are blunder, error, lapse, and mistake. While all these words mean "a departure from what is true, right, or proper," slip stresses inadvertence or accident and applies especially to trivial but embarrassing mistakes.

a slip of the tongue

When is it sensible to use blunder instead of slip?

The meanings of blunder and slip largely overlap; however, blunder regularly imputes stupidity or ignorance as a cause and connotes some degree of blame.

diplomatic blunders

When is error a more appropriate choice than slip?

In some situations, the words error and slip are roughly equivalent. However, error suggests the existence of a standard or guide and a straying from the right course through failure to make effective use of this.

procedural errors

When would lapse be a good substitute for slip?

The synonyms lapse and slip are sometimes interchangeable, but lapse stresses forgetfulness, weakness, or inattention as a cause.

a lapse in judgment

When can mistake be used instead of slip?

The words mistake and slip are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mistake implies misconception or inadvertence and usually expresses less criticism than error.

dialed the wrong number by mistake

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of slip
Verb
That said, pulling one off takes a bit more intention than simply slipping it on. — Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 10 Aug. 2026 For many employees, the Pentagon deal slipped largely under the radar. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
Noun
If slips and slinky silk camis aren’t exactly your vibe, pajama separates and loungewear prove both comfortable and chic. — Caroline Reilly, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 The intricate lavender design featured a sheer overlay that revealed structured bustier-style paneling and a delicate slip underneath, creating the illusion of a classic naked dress without veering into eveningwear territory. — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slip
  1. fall
  2. stumble
  3. sneak
  4. lurk
  5. flow
  6. shed
  7. strip
  8. mistake
Verb
  • Brokerages price crypto like an asset class, a few dozen basis points and falling.
    — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Kabita quickly fell pregnant with a daughter of her own, Sonam.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of fall
Verb
  • According to The New York Times, a detective within the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department who had been assigned to dig into the Shakur cold case stumbled upon Davis’ memoir and used it as evidence to build his case against him.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Drunken dragonrider Ulf the White's rage proves pivotal Debaucherous dragonrider Ulf White (Tom Bennett) stumbles into playing a major role in the final battle with his dragon Silverwing.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • Take a look at the ideas that inspired the game and some of the inside jokes that were snuck in.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Her earliest tour, a virtual show streamed over Zoom during the pandemic, became so popular that fans started sharing links so others could sneak in and watch alongside them.
    — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of sneak
Verb
  • Sub hunting goes on all the time, usually to keep crews in practice as well as to monitor the locations and capabilities of potentially hostile boats lurking beneath the waves.
    — David Szondy August 12, New Atlas, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Maybe dark oxygen would allow for other multicellular creatures to lurk even deeper in the rock.
    — James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of lurk
Verb
  • According to regulators, the investments all flowed through Spaventa.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Using the streams as indicators of the groundwater flowing beneath them, Campbell is building a model to identify the best potential sites in Idaho for a subsurface dam.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of flow
Verb
  • Andy Jones Manchester City Not too much has changed at City in terms of incomings or outgoings but pre-season has shed a bit more light on manager Enzo Maresca’s plans, most noticeably towards midfield.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The employers’ association Gesamtmetall reported in December 2025 that Germany’s metal and electrical engineering industry, the country’s largest, was shedding nearly 10,000 jobs a month.
    — Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of shed
Noun
  • When rolling, it is recommended to run the pasta through a pasta machine at the thickest setting first, then fold the pasta strip over itself into 3 thicknesses and repeat, before moving down a setting.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a 160-mile-long strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of strip
Noun
  • The debtor made a mistake to incur the liability, the liability was not covered by adequate insurance, and no settlement was achieved in litigation.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Despite acknowledging mistakes were made, FIFA is still facing a barrage of obstacles that are preventing it and Infantino from moving on from the saga.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of mistake

Phrases Containing slip

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slinks
slip
slip (into)
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Cite this Entry

“Slip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slip. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on slip

Nglish: Translation of slip for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slip

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