slick

1 of 4

adjective

ˈslik

slicker; slickest

Synonyms of slick next

: having a smooth surface : slippery

slick wet leaves

: having surface plausibility or appeal : glossy

slick advertising

: based on stereotype : trite

slick stories soon forgotten

: characterized by subtlety or nimble wit : clever

especially : wily

a slick swindler

: deft, skillful

a slick ballplayer

: extremely good : first-rate

archaic : sleek sense 1

slickly adverb

slickness noun

slick

2 of 4

verb

slicked; slicking; slicks

transitive verb

: to make sleek or smooth

intransitive verb

: spruce

—usually used with up

slick

3 of 4

noun

: something that is smooth or slippery

especially : a smooth patch of water covered with a film of oil

: a film of oil

: an automobile tire made without a tread for maximum traction (as in drag racing)

: an implement for producing a smooth or slick surface

: a shrewd untrustworthy person

: a popular magazine printed on coated stock and intended to appeal to sophisticated readers

slang : a military helicopter without armaments that is used to transport troops or light cargo

slick

4 of 4

adverb

dated, informal

: in a smooth or clever manner

"I must say they did it slick enough. They were old hands at the business."—

Jack London

Choose the Right Synonym for slick

sleek, slick, glossy mean having a smooth bright surface or appearance.

sleek suggests a smoothness or brightness resulting from attentive grooming or physical conditioning.

a sleek racehorse

slick suggests extreme smoothness that results in a slippery surface.

slipped and fell on the slick floor

glossy suggests a highly reflective surface.

photographs having a glossy finish

sly, cunning, crafty, wily, tricky, foxy, artful, slick mean attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means.

sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.

a sly corporate raider

cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.

a tricky political operative

foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.

a foxy publicity man planting stories

artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.

elicited the information by artful questioning

slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

Examples of slick in a Sentence

Adjective Be careful as you drive home—the roads are slick. big corporations and their slick lawyers The new kid had some slick moves on the basketball court. The students did a slick job of promoting the concert. The video game has slick graphics. Verb The rain slicked the roads. slicking the bottom of their skis with wax

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In the last 12 days, her slick brand of house has taken her to Miami, Mexico City and Buenos Aires. —

Katie Bain, Billboard, 25 Apr. 2024 Many acts perform in their national languages and some draw on folk traditions and instruments, though slick production and electro beats still predominate. —

Jill Lawless, Fortune Europe, 24 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for slick

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English slyke; akin to Old English *slician

Verb

Middle English sliken, from Old English *slician; akin to Old High German slīhhan to glide

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of slick was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Slick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slick. Accessed 3 May. 2024.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

slick

1 of 3 verb

ˈslik

: to make sleek or smooth

slick

2 of 3 adjective

: having a smooth surface : slippery

a slick road

: having or showing skill and style but no depth

slick writing

: clever sense 3

especially : tricky sense 1

: quick and neat in action : skillful

slickly adverb

slickness noun

slick

3 of 3 noun

: something that is smooth or slippery

especially : a smooth patch of water covered with a film of oil

Last Updated: 28 Apr 2024 - Updated example sentences

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slick

adjective

verb

noun

adverb

Synonyms

Examples of slick in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near slick

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition