# slip back to old ways

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/slip-back-to-old-ways
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

to return to past bad habits

## Examples

- He tried to quit sugar but slipped back to old ways.
- After a month of healthy eating, he felt tired and slipped back to old ways by ordering fast food every night.
- Despite his sincere vow to maintain a disciplined routine, the pressures of his new position caused him to slip back to old ways of procrastination and neglect.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.