1
as in shady
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions
a bar where a lot of slippery characters were known to hang out
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in elusive
hard to find, capture, or isolate
a slippery concept that we had trouble understanding
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3
as in slicked
having or being a surface so smooth as to greatly reduce traction
had trouble keeping upright on the slippery ice
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of slippery
This history of a slippery concept arrived to some critical controversy earlier this year.
—
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
In the slippery debut thriller from director Alex Russell, a superfan gains access to a rising pop star’s inner circle and stops at nothing to stay there.
—Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
This scene also sets the stage for the audience’s slippery perception of Julianne Moore’s character and the bizarre relationship Kiki has with Simone.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2025
At first, Bubsy feels unwieldy, even slippery.
—PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slippery
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
In the slippery debut thriller from director Alex Russell, a superfan gains access to a rising pop star’s inner circle and stops at nothing to stay there.
—Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
This scene also sets the stage for the audience’s slippery perception of Julianne Moore’s character and the bizarre relationship Kiki has with Simone.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2025
At first, Bubsy feels unwieldy, even slippery.
—PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slippery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slippery
Adjective
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Maybe not something drastic like a world war, slavery or the Holocaust, but there’s always shady s–t going on.—
Carl Lamarre,
Billboard,
3 Sep. 2025
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Meursault also starts hanging out with his shady and brutish French neighbor, Raymond (Pierre Lottin), whose abusive relationship with an Algerian girl (Hajar Bouzaouit) eventually leads to the murder.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Adoption can outrun outcomes, pilots can sprawl, and value can be elusive.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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With the Ryder Cup just a few weeks away, McIlroy seems to have regained both his motivation and his golf game just in time to try to lead the European team to an elusive victory on American soil at Bethpage Black.—
Mike Fore,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Jason Ardizzone-West’s set is a predictable slick white box, its blank surfaces submissive to the constant barrage of Brad Peterson’s video projections.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
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Having his slick-fielding pal Ha-Seong Kim as a teammate again seemed to bring out the best in Jurickson Profar in their first game together with the Atlanta Braves.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Dip a microfiber cloth into the water and then gently scrub away any greasy spots on your cabinets.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
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And because Rhode is all about keeping skin health front of mind, the product ensures lasting hydration that never enters greasy territory.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slippery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slippery. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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