slick
Glossy and cunning
Slick describes something smooth and glossy, often with a coating that reduces friction: slick with oil, rain-slicked streets.
The word extends to polished performance—a slick presentation is impressively smooth, though perhaps superficially so.
A slick operator is clever and persuasive but not entirely trustworthy.
As a noun, a slick is a film of oil on water.
To slick hair is to smooth it down, often with product: He slicked his hair back.
Practically clever, perceptive
calculating · manipulative · scheming · conniving · devious · artful · canny · sharp
Smooth and shiny
- shinyReflecting light smoothly
- buffedRubbed to shine
- lustrousSoftly bright, reflective
- gleamingReflecting light brightly
varnished · lacquered · mirrorlike · reflective · glassy · streamlined · aerodynamic · waxed
Thick oily lubricant
- lubricantFriction-reducing substance
- slipperyLacking friction, hard-to-grasp
- viscousThick and slow-flowing
- petroleumNatural underground hydrocarbon liquid
motor oil · crude · gunk · sludge · sebum · waxy · slathered · greased
Pleasantly attractive in manner
- smooth-talkingCharmingly persuasive in speech
- glibSuperficially articulate
- urbaneRefined and courteous
- sophisticatedWorldly and cultured
debonair · dapper · polished · smooth · silver-tongued · persuasive · eloquent · charismatic
Smooth, refined, accomplished
- glossySmooth and shiny
- cinematicRelating to motion pictures
- corporateOf or relating to companies
- brandedMarked by hot iron
airbrushed · packaged · marketed · commercial · promotional · flashy · stylized · overproduced
Inclined to deceive
- deceitfulInclined to mislead others
- untrustworthyNot deserving of confidence
- fraudulentInvolving intentional dishonesty
- shiftySeeming dishonest or evasive
treacherous · duplicitous · false · misleading · insidious · two-faced · shady · crooked
shrewd
Practically clever, perceptive
clever · calculating · manipulative · scheming · conniving · devious · artful · canny · sharp · quick
glossy
Smooth and shiny
gleaming · varnished · lacquered · mirrorlike · reflective · glassy · streamlined · aerodynamic · waxed · burnished
grease
Thick oily lubricant
- lubricantFriction-reducing substance
- slipperyLacking friction, hard-to-grasp
- viscousThick and slow-flowing
petroleum · motor oil · crude · gunk · sludge · sebum · waxy · slathered · greased · oiled
charming
Pleasantly attractive in manner
- smooth-talkingCharmingly persuasive in speech
- glibSuperficially articulate
- urbaneRefined and courteous
sophisticated · debonair · dapper · polished · smooth · silver-tongued · persuasive · eloquent · charismatic · confident
polished
Smooth, refined, accomplished
branded · airbrushed · packaged · marketed · commercial · promotional · flashy · stylized · overproduced · Hollywood
dishonest
Inclined to deceive
- deceitfulInclined to mislead others
- untrustworthyNot deserving of confidence
- fraudulentInvolving intentional dishonesty
shifty · treacherous · duplicitous · false · misleading · insidious · two-faced · shady · crooked · scheming
- glossy surfacesgloss, glossy print, shine, sheen, polish
- slipperyslime, grease, oil, wet floor, black ice
- groomingbrushing teeth, clean shave, bathe, groomed, haircut
- petroleumcrude oil, crude, petroleum, oil wells, oil fields
- fabric texturessoft, smooth, rough, silky, fuzzy
- media descriptorsdramatic, thrilling, suspenseful, emotional, atmospheric
slickamateurish
Lacking professional skill
crude · unpolished · rough · clumsy · shoddy
- city slickerSavvy metropolitan dweller
- oil slickFloating layer of crude
- slicked back hair
- slick backSmooth hair toward rear
- slicked backHair smoothed rearward
- slicked downSmoothed flat with product
slicker, slicked, slicking, slicks, slickness, slickly, slickest, slickers, slickster