slick 1 of 3

verb

Definition of slicknext
as in to grease
to coat (something) with a slippery substance in order to reduce friction slicking the bottom of their skis with wax

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

slick

2 of 3

adjective

ˈslik How to pronounce slick (audio)
1
as in slicked
having or being a surface so smooth as to greatly reduce traction roads are often slick during the first hour of a rainstorm

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means a slick ad campaign that made smoking look cool and sexy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in excellent
of the very best kind that's a slick new suit you have on

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

slick

3 of 3

noun

1
as in pictorial

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in slicker

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in chopper

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word slick distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of slick are artful, crafty, cunning, foxy, sly, tricky, and wily. While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

When is artful a more appropriate choice than slick?

Although the words artful and slick have much in common, artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.

elicited the information by artful questioning

When can crafty be used instead of slick?

The synonyms crafty and slick are sometimes interchangeable, but crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

When could cunning be used to replace slick?

The meanings of cunning and slick largely overlap; however, cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

When would foxy be a good substitute for slick?

While the synonyms foxy and slick are close in meaning, foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.

a foxy publicity man planting stories

When is it sensible to use sly instead of slick?

While in some cases nearly identical to slick, sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.

a sly corporate raider

Where would tricky be a reasonable alternative to slick?

In some situations, the words tricky and slick are roughly equivalent. However, tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.

a tricky political operative

When might wily be a better fit than slick?

The words wily and slick can be used in similar contexts, but wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

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 slick
Verb
Dua Lipa often slicks hers back for a sleek and polished vibe, and Billie Eilish’s green roots launched a movement. —Kristen Philipkoski, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025 Depending on the formula, ingredients like polymers and powders create lift and definition—perfect for everything from soft waves to slick backs—while humectants keep your hair hydrated for a glossy, smooth finish. —Siena Gagliano, Allure, 1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
From a beachy retreat in Australia to a slick city stay in Singapore, these are the best new affordable luxury hotels in the world. —Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2025 Roads in the foothills and mountains could be slick Monday morning, forecasters said. —Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
Compared to our Chicken And Rolled Dumplings recipe, slicks have less leavening, creating a skinner dumpling. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2025 Instead of sitting front row, Tracee Ellis Ross walked the Marni show in a deep red lip (which matched her nails), glass lids and a wet slick back. —India Espy-Jones, Essence, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slick
  1. grease
  2. cunning
  3. excellent
  4. pictorial
  5. slicker
  6. chopper
  7. oil
  8. slippery
Verb
  • The latter also perpetuates a reliance on extractive industries, keeping the metaphorical wheels greased on the fossil fuel industry rather than encouraging it to begin winding down.
    — Andrew Leahey, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
  • The key is to bake the top layer in an ovenproof bowl greased generously with baking spray and lined with two strips of parchment paper.
    — Ana Calderone, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of grease
Adjective
  • The mean girl, as we’ve been taught to recognize her, is cunning and charismatic.
    — Shelby Stewart, Essence, 8 Apr. 2025
  • With time, cunning, and no irony, the Shuberts slew the Syndicate Goliath and built a monopolistic empire of their own that Justice Department lawyers would decades later force into an antitrust settlement.
    — Frank Rich, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of cunning
Adjective
  • In a survey of more than 15,000 users after its rollout in 2024, 90% of respondents ranked their experience as excellent or above average.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Scott McKenna bossing the defence, Fabio Silva scoring goals for fun, Oli McBurnie bashing around and suddenly speaking excellent Spanish… this is a cause to believe in.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of excellent
Noun
  • Skims The actor stars in the pictorial, shot by Carin Backoff, with his fiancée, model Abby Champion.
    — Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 17 Mar. 2025
  • By contrast, animation foregrounds the pictorial, which is its own aesthetic doctrine.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
Definition of pictorial
Noun
  • The European far right is skillfully seizing the moment, promising an agricultural overhaul and a chance to stick it to the city slickers.
    — Emily Rauhala, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024
  • For the dapper dog walker there's plenty of tweed caps and country-style rain slickers.
    — Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2024
Definition of slicker
Noun
  • President Carol Folt summoned the LAPD, who — in full riot gear, and with police choppers thundering overhead — descended on our campus to zip-tie and arrest 93 unarmed protestors, mostly students and a few faculty trying to protect them.
    — Sandy Tolan, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2025
  • The Federal Aviation Administration on Sunday announced the helicopter company whose sightseeing chopper crashed into the Hudson River, killing the pilot and a family of five tourists from Spain, is shutting down its operations immediately.
    — Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of chopper
Verb
  • The gift further connects revelers to Carved to Flow which began in a laboratory in Athens where oils, butters, and lye from the Mediterranean, Middle East, and North and West Africa were intermingled to create a soap.
    — Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
  • This spray uses grapefruit, lemon and tea tree oils to remove makeup buildup and preserve your tools.
    — Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of oil
Adjective
  • Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities and use caution while driving.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Oh, and there’s also a slick-talking vampire named Remmick (a slippery Jack O’Connell) whose bites transform his victims into a finger-plucking folk band, snapping the necks of their instruments back and forth like a vaudeville act.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of slippery

Browse Nearby Words

slicing
slick
slicked
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Cite this Entry

“Slick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slick. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on slick

Nglish: Translation of slick for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slick

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