Slippery describes a surface so smooth or wet that it's hard to grip or walk on without sliding. Ice, wet floors, and banana peels are all slippery: they offer little friction or traction, making them treacherous to navigate. When something is slippery, your feet can shoot out from under you, or an object might squirt out of your hands like a wet bar of soap.

The word also describes people or situations that are hard to pin down or control. A slippery character might dodge questions, change their story, or wriggle out of promises they made. Politicians sometimes give slippery answers that sound like they're responding without actually committing to anything specific. When someone says a person is slippery as an eel, they mean that person is especially good at escaping blame or responsibility.

You might also hear about a slippery slope, which describes how one small action can lead to increasingly serious consequences. If you skip one homework assignment, you might find yourself on a slippery slope toward skipping more and more. The image suggests that once you start sliding downward, it becomes harder and harder to stop yourself.