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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

slip

2 of 3

noun (1)

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

slip

3 of 3

noun (2)

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Honeywell International — Shares slipped more than 1%. —Fred Imbert, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026 One thing was certain; my hands were not going to slip off the bar during these lifts! —Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez, Charlotte Observer, 17 Mar. 2026
Noun
The new guy hands over a slip of paper and Sonny is stirred by what's written on it. —Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026 Back in 2024, Gerber recreated her mom's iconic white slip dress moment from the 1993 Oscars. —Meg Walters, InStyle, 16 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
  • By late Sunday night into Monday midday, a strong cold front clears the region, ending the storms and bringing gusty winds with falling temperatures through the day.
    — Andrew Kozak, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Outside of Wall Street, stock indexes fell sharply in Europe following their wipeouts on Thursday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Mar. 2026
Definition of fall
Verb
  • As K-pop spurs franchises, copycat spinoffs and big studio blockbusters, the system that propelled K-culture’s rise could stumble if its authenticity starts to waver.
    — Dan Bilefsky, HollywoodReporter, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Shopping on Rue La La feels a lot like stumbling across a secret sale, with some of the very best deals on designer goods, including swoon-worthy handbags.
    — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • My brother Mike knew a maintenance engineer who snuck me in to Seals & Crofts’ studio.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Nine Iranian ships traveled through the strait by turning off transponders that reveal locations, sneaking by undetected.
    — Cecilia Vega, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2026
Definition of sneak
Verb
  • Binary neutron stars have long been considered the best bet for deciphering what lurks within.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 15 Mar. 2026
  • In these cases, a more serious gut condition, like colorectal cancer, could be lurking.
    — Erica Sloan, SELF, 13 Mar. 2026
Definition of lurk
Verb
  • Rebecca Morin Greeted with bouquets of flowers and dozens of flowing Iranian flags, Iran’s national women’s soccer team was welcomed home to Tehran after some players initially tried to seek asylum in Australia.
    — Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Great gameplan from a great coach, nice adjustments throughout, and the offense flowed so nicely all night.
    — American-Statesman staff, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of flow
Verb
  • The benchmark rose as high as about 30% in morning trading, before shedding some of those gains.
    — Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Ultimately, shedding a reputation for underpaying its players will power the growth of the league.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Definition of shed
Verb
  • Release, for contouring and pressure relief; and Adaptive, to keep the bed from sagging.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 19 Mar. 2026
  • The roof flakes, the porch sags.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of sag
Verb
  • Less than a minute into the game, Wild defenseman Brock Faber went to the penalty box for tripping and the Rangers converted on the ensuing power play.
    — Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Nor is the scene in which Cory trips on mushrooms on Hollywood Boulevard (which is probably true of half the people walking there).
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 15 Mar. 2026
Definition of trip

Phrases Containing slip

Browse Nearby Words

slinks
slip
slip (into)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slip. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on slip

Nglish: Translation of slip for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slip

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of frenetic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

What does 'etcetera' mean?

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Opposite of Déjà Vu

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?

17 Words for Dog Breeds

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

The Opposite of Déjà Vu

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
back-of-head-mortarboard
Quiz: Name That Hat! Time to put on your thinking cap.
See All