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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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

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
Beverley had poured Elsie a drink, and the afternoon slipped into evening in a haze of Chardonnay and vodka cocktails. —Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026 Stocks of airlines, including American Airlines, United and Delta, were some of Monday's biggest losers on Wall Street, and shares of all three slipped about 3% in Tuesday's premarket trading. —CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
My hero piece here is a sultry lingerie bodysuit, layered under a slip skirt or jeans. —Malia Griggs, Glamour, 3 Mar. 2026 Engineered for both comfort and slip-resistance, these lightweight clogs are a solid pick for yard work, especially with the sturdy back strap that offers extra stability if needed. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 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. sag
  8. trip
Verb
  • Unlike Israel, Palestinian cities have no warning sirens or bomb shelters, despite the risk of falling debris or errant missiles.
    — CLAUDIA CIOBANU, Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Even if some kilns had continued producing ceramics, the Yuan Dynasty fell in 1368 and the first Ming emperor banned commercial trade around 1371, so even conservative estimates for dating the shipwreck still fall between the late 1320s and 1371, according to the study.
    — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 28 Feb. 2026
Definition of fall
Verb
  • Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar stumbled, springing a 2-on-1 break with Boldy feeding a cross-ice pass to Marcus Johansson, whose wrist shot hit the left post, then got a piece of the goalie before a Colorado defender swatted it away from the goalmouth.
    — Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Surveillance video from that night shows a man wearing a Blackhawks jersey entering the store, then stumbling out before a struggle spilled into the street.
    — Darius Johnson, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • Guerschon Yabusele leveraged his success at the Olympics to revive his career and sneak back into the NBA.
    — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2026
  • The most dangerous look in regulation for either team came in the 56th minute, when UC’s Hayden Goldstein nearly snuck a free kick from 36 yards out underneath the top crossbar before it was stopped by a leaping Williams.
    — Clark Fahrenthold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Definition of sneak
Verb
  • During an epic research project spanning ten years, archaeologists first took to the skies in 2016 to investigate what might be lurking beneath the woods.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 1 Mar. 2026
  • For the survivors in Jerash, the site would serve as a reminder of the danger of unchecked microbes, lurking in the ecosystem.
    — Durrie Bouscaren, NPR, 28 Feb. 2026
Definition of lurk
Verb
  • Illinois is the nation’s rail hub, ranking first among the states in rail tons and rail carloads moved; half of all container railcars in the nation flow through Chicago.
    — Jim Nowlan, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Welcome to the new Tokyo Tuna, where your dinner flows your way.
    — Connie Ogle Updated February 27, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Definition of flow
Verb
  • But 12 months is a lot of runway for a young player whose all-court ingenuity, appetite for improvement and ability to shed setbacks have generated lift.
    — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
  • And on Wednesday night, Tan shed a light on Broadcom's customer spending intentions beyond 2026.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
Definition of shed
Verb
  • In 1986, when the Sox were looking to move from Bridgeport to Addison, Reinsdorf addressed his sagging reputation in a Tribune interview.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
  • The moisturizer’s proprietary Hexyl-R Complex does most of the heavy lifting; according to the brand, the technology contains a naturally occurring lipid that helps improve the appearance of age spots, sagging skin, fine lines, and wrinkles.
    — Erika Reals, InStyle, 27 Feb. 2026
Definition of sag
Verb
  • The Raiders’ good fortunes went south as the referee called two controversial penalty kicks for tripping, and Ricky Kase converted — one in the 32nd minute and the other in the 64th — allowing the Seahawks to tie the game.
    — Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2026
  • The goal was ill-gotten, as the officials missed Perfetti tripping Mason McTavish, a play that led directly to the scoring sequence.
    — Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
Definition of trip

Phrases Containing slip

Browse Nearby Words

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 6 Mar. 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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