What does slipperily mean?
Slipperily is an adverb meaning in a slippery manner, most often used figuratively to describe behaviour that is cunning, deceptive, or carefully evasive. It suggests that a person is achieving an outcome indirectly or misleadingly, as in a negotiator who slipperily shifts responsibility or a politician who slipperily avoids a direct answer. The word can also describe physical movement or surfaces that are smooth, unstable, or difficult to grip, although this use is less frequent. Its ending, -ily, forms an adverb from the adjective slippery. The expression is common in formal reporting and commentary, but it can also occur in ordinary conversation when the speaker wants to emphasise distrust or suspicion. It is more pointed than simply describing someone as clever, because it usually implies unfairness or concealment.
In a cunning, deceptive, or evasive manner.
"The witness slipperily avoided answering the central question."
Commonly used in figurative contexts and usually carries a negative implication.
In a physically unstable or difficult-to-grip manner.
"The boat rocked slipperily as the waves struck its side."
This literal sense is less common than the figurative one.
Slipperily turns a simple physical quality—slipperiness—into a warning about cunning or deceptive behaviour.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of slipperily
The adverb was formed by adding the standard English suffix -ily to the adjective slippery. The adjective slippery developed from the verb slip and is attested in Middle English, combining the idea of physically sliding with figurative meanings involving instability or moral unreliability. The same basic root is reflected in related words such as slip, slipper, and slippage. The modern figurative use of slipperily follows the adjective’s established sense of being deceptive or unreliable.
How slipperily is actually used
The figurative sense is the dominant modern use and often carries a negative judgement, implying that someone is being cunning or evasive. The literal sense is less common but natural when describing movement or footing.