slips 1 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of slip
1
as in falls
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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Relevance

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2
as in stumbles
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 sneaks
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way casually slipped it into the conversation

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4
as in lurks
to move about in a sly or secret manner slipped behind the cover of the trees

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

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slips

2 of 3

noun (1)

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

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slips

3 of 3

noun (2)

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spills
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 escapes
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 trips
a wrong judgment that's not the sort of slip that a prudent person would have made

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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
Steffi Oesterreich, a lobular breast cancer researcher at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Pittsburgh who was not involved in Peet’s care, said the disease often slips past imaging. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026 That front eventually slips south of the region Wednesday night, allowing cooler and drier air to move in Thursday. — Grant Gilmore, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 Protection for the moment someone slips The report recommends building stronger authentication into onboarding. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026 The consideration worth making when delegating this is who has the credibility to hold the rest of the organization accountable when CRM hygiene slips or definitions get quietly reinterpreted. — Kylie Fuentes, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026 Taylor’s success on its own isn’t enough to redeem this season for the Sky, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2023 and whose relevance slips further with each loss and each draft pick that fails to hit. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026 The watch goes on your non-dominant wrist, and the ring sensor slips onto your thumb. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 24 Sep. 2026 The 415 feet of shoreline provide lake-swimming access and a dock with two covered boat slips. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2026 If the date slips significantly further, China will land humans on the Moon before NASA can return there. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026
Noun
Renshaw also began a second bowling stint and Verreynne tried to cut him but gave Steve Smith a slips catch and Renshaw his second wicket of the innings, and of his career. — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026 Modern slips and colorful dresses in fluid shapes are equally strong choices, and when all else fails, a little black dress is a safe bet. — Corinne Pierre-Louis, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026 Regular upkeep to prevent slips, trips and falls is a must, and failing legal obligations of inspecting properties, fixing hazards promptly or posting warning signs can lead to dire consequences. — Christyne D. Santisteban, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 Frequency climbs, engagement slips and the platform starts favoring other ads long before the marketing team concludes anything needs to change. — Matt Jayson, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Sheerness and transparency, lingerie and boudoir dressing — bra tops, slips, robes and kimonos. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026 Start plants from slips, sprouted from mature sweet potatoes in moist soil. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2026 Here's what to look out for as summer slips from the Northern Hemisphere, heralding shorter days and darker nights perfect for stargazing. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 Sep. 2026 Within the first couple of weeks, one student reported that the bus on Route 51 picked up the students late one day, causing everyone to go through the office to get tardy slips for class. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slips
  1. falls
  2. stumbles
  3. sneaks
  4. lurks
  5. flows
  6. sheds
  7. strips
  8. mistakes
Verb
  • The January 16, 2027 slot once again falls the day after the end of nomination voting in the Academy Awards on January 15, and before the January 21 nominations announcement.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
  • As night falls, Kenny and Christina are over the moon about their trip.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of falls
Verb
  • The film will follow a boy (Leber), left to his own devices, who stumbles upon a secret late-night broadcast of lizards playing otherworldly music.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
  • While going through Verity’s files, Lowen stumbles on her memoir, an alleged confession.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of stumbles
Verb
  • Owen Wilson plays an overprotective dad who sneaks his 13-year-old son (Christian Convery) into the festival.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The titular bed trick refers to the literary device, beloved by Shakespeare and by opera buffa, in which a lover sneaks into a bed and, under cover of darkness, is taken for someone else.
    — S. C. Cornell, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of sneaks
Verb
  • The Spurs superstar lurks down low near the basket, allowing guards to pressure aggressively on the perimeter.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Clements sets the scene with lively pop music and excellent period-specific costuming, though darkness lurks beneath the funky 1970s groove.
    — Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of lurks
Verb
  • More than 99 percent of international data flows through submarine telecommunications cables, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Important information flows back to the people responsible for moving the relationship forward.
    — Karen Cochran, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of flows
Verb
  • Like Lumiere the candlestick before it, the Lume both sheds light and completes tasks for its owner with nary a complaint.
    — Emma Barker, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The living-and-dining area is about 200 square feet, and the galley kitchen has a passthrough that can be used as a counter but also sheds a little extra light on the dark cabinetry and jet-black tile.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of sheds
Noun
  • Quaternary sanitizer is used in the facility, however, test strips to test the strength of this chemical are not available in the facility.
    — NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Rather than lighting an entire room, try task lighting like reading lamps, under-the-cabinet light strips, and desk lamps that illuminate a workspace.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of strips
Noun
  • Cases can be delayed with different tactics, including intimidation, corruption and procedural mistakes that can reduce charges or even lead to acquittals, said Carole Grace Mbarga, a Cameroonian rights activist.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Common kitchen layout mistakes can make your space dysfunctional and uninviting.
    — Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of mistakes

Browse Nearby Words

slippy
slips
slipshod
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Cite this Entry

“Slips.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slips. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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