Meaning & use
slippery people
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phraseinformalfigurative
People who are hard to trust or hold to their word; evasive individuals.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun phrase. It cannot be used for one person; for one person say a slippery person or he is slippery.
Patterns
- slippery people in something
- deal with slippery people
- a bunch of slippery people
In politics you meet a lot of slippery people who never give a straight answer.
She warned me that the sellers were slippery people and not to trust their promises.
Slippery people are good at avoiding responsibility when things go wrong.
phrasefixed phraseinformal
People who are physically difficult to hold or catch because they slip away.
Grammar: Used literally for people who keep escaping your grip, often in games or sports.
Patterns
- catch slippery people
- slippery people in the water
The children were slippery people in the pool, sliding out of everyone's arms.
In rugby, small, fast players can be slippery people to tackle.
Common combinations
- a slippery character
- He's a slippery character, so read the contract carefully.
- slippery as an eel
- The suspect was slippery as an eel and kept changing his story.
- slippery people in business
- You'll find slippery people in business who promise more than they deliver.
- avoid slippery people
- My advice is to avoid slippery people who never keep their word.
Synonyms and how they differ
- evasive
- Evasive describes the behavior of avoiding direct answers; slippery people describes the people themselves and is more informal.
- untrustworthy
- Untrustworthy is a general, neutral word for people you cannot rely on; slippery people is more vivid and slightly disapproving.
- shifty
- Shifty suggests someone who looks dishonest or nervous; slippery people focuses on being hard to pin down.
Opposites
Word family
- slippery adjective
- Hard to hold, stand on, or trust.
- slipperiness noun
- The quality of being slippery, either physically or in character.
Commonly confused: slippery people or slippery slope?
slippery people vs slippery slope
A slippery slope is a situation that leads to worse things; slippery people are untrustworthy individuals.
Practice
The salesman was one of those ______ who promise everything and deliver nothing.
Choose one answer.
The phrase is plural and takes no article, so slippery people fits. Slippery person is singular and would need a; slippery peoples is not standard English; a slippery people is ungrammatical because people is already plural here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “slippery people”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.