slippery slope

noun

: a course of action that seems to lead inevitably from one action or result to another with unintended consequences

Examples of slippery slope in a Sentence

His behavior will lead him down a slippery slope to ruin.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Extending the lottery to include the teams that lost in the Play-In Tournament should quell any slippery slope scenarios in which people believe teams will drop out of the Play-In for better lottery odds. Zach Harper, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026 But using this as a standard for negligent product design is a slippery slope. Elizabeth Nolan Brown, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026 That’s a complex and slippery slope. Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026 But Gilman calls that a slippery slope to bankruptcy. Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slippery slope

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of slippery slope was in 1951

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Cite this Entry

“Slippery slope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slippery%20slope. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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