slippery slope

noun

: a course of action that seems to lead inevitably from one action or result to another with unintended consequences

Examples of slippery slope in a Sentence

His behavior will lead him down a slippery slope to ruin.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The museum might not be just another one of those slippery slopes to despair -- the curatorial vision is ... Brian T. Allen, National Review, 12 July 2025 Paul, a foremost Republican critic against Trump’s tariff policy, said the latest tariff, which Trump said would go into effect Aug. 1, could lead to a slippery slope that harms the U.S.’s economic standing and Wall Street. Al Weaver, The Hill, 10 July 2025 This is a slippery slope that would impair the ability of reasonable people to do business and likely lead to years of lawsuits. Jay Neveloff, New York Daily News, 11 June 2025 Social drinking can sit on the slippery slope to alcoholism. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for slippery slope

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of slippery slope was in 1951

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Cite this Entry

“Slippery slope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slippery%20slope. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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