slipping through the cracks
Falling between gaps
Slipping through the cracks describes someone or something that goes unnoticed or unaddressed by systems meant to catch them.
Children slip through the cracks of social services; errors slip through the cracks of quality control.
The image is of small things falling through gaps in floorboards or pavement—present but overlooked: Too many at-risk students are slipping through the cracks.
- overlookedNot noticed or considered
- forgottenNo longer recalled
- left behindAbandoned or forgotten
- mistakeWrong action or decision
- ignoredPurposely not noticed
loophole · oversight · marginalized · underfunding · lost in translation · off the grid · bureaucracy · excluded · unnoticed · slip under the radar · lost in the shuffle · bypassed · vulnerability · lapse · dropped the ball · at-risk · safety net · gap
slipping through the crackscaught
Seized or grabbed
detected · flagged · identified · caught red-handed · spotted
slipping through the crackstaken care of
Attended to, managed
looked after · getting help · helped · supported · in good hands
slipping through the cracksaccounted for
Provided explanation or justification
on the books · followed up · documented · included · covered
slipped, slipping, slipper, slippers, slippery, through, thorough, thoroughly, thoroughness