slips 1 of 3

Definition of slipsnext
present tense third-person singular of slip
1
2
3
as in sneaks
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way casually slipped it into the conversation

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
5
6
as in sheds
to cast (a natural bodily covering or appendage) aside periodically crabs slip their shells and grow new ones

Synonyms & Similar Words

slips

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural of slip
as in strips
a long narrow piece of material baskets woven from slips of wicker

Synonyms & Similar Words

slips

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural of slip
1
2
as in spills
the act of going down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily had a nasty slip on the ice

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4

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 slips
Verb
Yet real sovereignty slips further away. Rick Singh, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026 Gwath slips the screen and positions himself for a lob from Byrd. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026 Sam slips back into her addiction and as her alcoholism worsens, so do the visions and apparitions that seem to be haunting the forest. Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026 But images of those youthful frolics amid chirping children quickly slips behind me, muted by my puffing, labored breaths and the blanket of snow. Thomas Cangelosi, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2026 As Tony slips into sociopathic self-preservation in the series' waning days, his love for his children provides his last link to humanity. Dan Snierson, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Dec. 2025 The Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, idle after being benched, slips one spot to 18th. Greg Cote december 23, Miami Herald, 23 Dec. 2025 The resurgence of whooping cough is happening as childhood vaccination coverage slips below levels needed for community protection in much of the country. Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 22 Dec. 2025 Nimble Champ Portable Charger About the size of a credit card, this nimble portable charger easily slips into your bag or back pocket. Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2025
Noun
United’s next two league games are against Manchester City and Arsenal, too, which puts some of their recent slips into context. Chris McKenna, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026 While the $52M mark is a 4% drop from the previous week, and about 7% down from the same time – Week 32 – last year, those slips reflect the always-lucrative Christmas week highs (Christmas fell within Week 32 last season). Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2026 Guess the Resolution Similarly, when guests arrive and people are still warming up, ask each person to write down five resolutions on separate slips of paper, then drop the papers into a hat or bowl. Mary Alice Russell, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025 Typos, grammar slips, and inconsistent tense usage are hard to catch when applicants stare at the same page repeatedly. K. H. Koehler, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025 While the swing factors are inherently unpredictable, there seem a few broad questions hovering over the market as 2025 slips into the past. Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Dec. 2025 Every player was given a number and slips of paper and wrote impertinent questions intended for each of the others. Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2025 His friend of 20 years, 75-year-old boat mechanic Fred Vijsma, keeps his yacht just a couple of slips down. Calmatters, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025 During Act One, Carpenter's dozen backup dancers joined the stage with the women dressed in silky, lacy slips and the men in white button downs. Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slips
Verb
  • So Nude pair falls neatly in line — proof that even in full-metal glamour, minimalism with an edge is having a very good year.
    Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Sabrina Carpenter’s chart-topping Man’s Best Friend slips 5-6 on the latest Billboard 200 with 38,000 equivalent album units earned (down 8%), while Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving falls 6-7 (37,000, down 3%).
    Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Ennin gets up and stumbles down the block before collapsing next to a building.
    Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
  • There’s a fine line between righteousness and self-satisfaction, and the second season, which premieres on HBO Max on January 8, frequently stumbles into the latter territory.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • With a new alias, Andrew Birch, Pine sneaks around Roper’s Majorca compound and relays key documents to Burr, all while keeping an indiscriminate profile.
    Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Now, with nowhere else to turn, Mauser sneaks in uninvited to a swanky party in Rockwell's home and begs for his support in front of his wealthy friends.
    Mike Miller, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • But beneath this viral joke among African Americans lurks a hidden history of slavery, voodoo, and rebellion.
    Essence, Essence, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Meanwhile, a manipulative judge, Roland Brack (Nicholas Pinnock), lurks around the fringes, hoping to seduce or even blackmail the electrically attractive Hedda.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Walk through the front door and the layout flows uninterrupted into multiple living areas highlighted by warm cherry wood accents, fine architectural details and an abundance of natural light.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Each actress nails the comedic timing – and the accented English that flows with the cadence of their mother tongues.
    Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Martel sheds light on the murder trial of the three men, the lives of Chocobar and his fellow Chuchagasta people, and the centuries-old, colonialist legacy of land and property theft across Latin America.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 7 Jan. 2026
  • The 6-foot-4, 310-pound Miller sheds blocks with ease.
    Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Queen of minimalism, Janet has essentially just set type in panels—but the way the background sags like a deflating hot-air balloon, with the type recessed into it, is so wry and brilliant.
    Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Boat trips with the hotel’s fleet of luxury liners or a heli ride take you island-hopping to Hydra and Spetses.
    Jemima Sissons, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Shoelaces are scanned to ensure that no player trips and breaks bones.
    Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slips.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slips. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on slips

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!