slippery as an eel
Hard to hold
Slippery as an eel describes someone or something that is difficult to catch, hold onto, or pin down.
The comparison references how eels secrete mucus that makes them nearly impossible to grasp firmly.
The phrase most often characterizes people who are evasive, elusive, or skilled at avoiding commitment or accountability.
The witness was slippery as an eel under cross-examination.
Good luck getting a straight answer from him—he's slippery as an eel.
Wet, slippery, unpleasant
- slitherySliding with smooth motion
- smoothWithout roughness or difficulty
- wetSaturated with liquid
- oilyCovered in grease
greasy · lubricated · sleek · glistening · wriggling · squirming · writhing · sinuous
Hard to find
- evasiveAvoiding direct response
- dodgyQuestionable in character
- shiftySeeming dishonest or evasive
- uncatchableCannot be seized
ungraspable · wriggling · squirming · escaping · evading · ducking · sidestepping · noncommittal
slimy
Wet, slippery, unpleasant
oily · greasy · lubricated · sleek · glistening · wriggling · squirming · writhing · sinuous · lithe
elusive
Hard to find
uncatchable · ungraspable · wriggling · squirming · escaping · evading · ducking · sidestepping · noncommittal · cagey
sly
Cleverly deceptive
devious · scheming · manipulative · conniving · shrewd · calculating · artful · tricky · foxy · guileful
slippery as an eelstraight as an arrow
Perfectly linear, no curves
trustworthy · forthright · straightforward · transparent · true to one's word
slippery as an eelsitting duck
Defenseless person or thing
easy prey · pinned down · cornered · trapped · dead to rights
slippery, slipping, slips, slipped, slipperiness, slipperier, slippiest, anti-slip