slipping
Gradually losing traction
Slipping is the present participle of slip, covering movement without firm grip or control.
Something slipping is sliding unintentionally: The glass was slipping from her hands.
Standards or performance that are slipping are declining: His grades have been slipping lately.
Time slipping away passes quickly or unnoticed.
If something is slipping your mind, you're forgetting it.
Uncontrolled rolling descent
- stumbleLose footing momentarily
- tripPlanned travel somewhere
- fallDescend under gravity
- slideSmooth continuous movement
skid · lurch · topple · collapse · drop · pitch · splat · flounder
Adhesive friction enabling movement
- gripSecure manual hold
- lubricationCoating to reduce friction
- slickSmooth or craftily adept
- skidUncontrolled lateral slide
hydroplaning · ice · oil · wet · smooth · polished · coefficient · resistance
Seize or understand
- clutchMechanism linking engine to gearbox
- fingersAppendages of the hand
- handsGripping limbs' extremities
- sweaty palmsMoist hands from nerves
fumble · drop · release · slide · escape · wriggle · slither · elude
Flight from captivity
- evadeEscape by cunning
- sneakMove with stealth
- steal awayDepart secretly, unobserved
- dodgeAvoid by quick movement
elude · slink · slide · creep · unnoticed · undetected · quietly · stealthily
Fault in communication
- lapseBrief failure or expiration
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
- gaffeClumsy social error
misstep · flub · goof · faux pas · tongue · Freudian · accidental · inadvertent
tumble
Uncontrolled rolling descent
slide · skid · lurch · topple · collapse · drop · pitch · splat · flounder · pratfall
traction
Adhesive friction enabling movement
- gripSecure manual hold
- lubricationCoating to reduce friction
- slickSmooth or craftily adept
skid · hydroplaning · ice · oil · wet · smooth · polished · coefficient · resistance · tread
grasp
Seize or understand
- clutchMechanism linking engine to gearbox
- fingersAppendages of the hand
- handsGripping limbs' extremities
sweaty palms · fumble · drop · release · slide · escape · wriggle · slither · elude · rope
escape
Flight from captivity
- evadeEscape by cunning
- sneakMove with stealth
- steal awayDepart secretly, unobserved
dodge · elude · slink · slide · creep · unnoticed · undetected · quietly · stealthily · slither
error
Fault in communication
- lapseBrief failure or expiration
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
gaffe · misstep · flub · goof · faux pas · tongue · Freudian · accidental · inadvertent · unintentional
deteriorating
Becoming progressively worse
diminishing · weakening · fading · waning · sagging · slumping · dwindling · ebbing · regressing · eroding
punch
Strike with fist
swing · dodge · weave · bobbing · footwork · feint · block · parry · counter · evasion
- declinesdrop, decline, downtrend, downturn, downfall
- decliningdeclining, waning, fading, diminishing, decreasing
- home injuriesburn, cut, fall, bruise, scrape
- slapstickpratfall, banana peel, pie throw, falling down, custard pie
- winter woessnowstorm, blizzard, frost, ice, freeze
- maneuveringmaneuvering, positioning, steering, repositioning, pivoting
slippingimproving
Becoming more capable
rising · advancing · gaining · progressing · climbing
slippingstabilizing
Making firm or constant
anchored · lodged · rooted · planted · entrenched
- slipping awayGradually leaving or diminishing
- slipping upMaking a careless mistake
- slipping through the cracksEscaping detection or aid
- slipping intoGradually entering or assuming
- slipping inEntering unobtrusively
- slipping under the radarAvoiding scrutiny or observation
slip, slippery, slip-up, slips, slipped, slippage, slipup, slippages, nonslip