ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sleek

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈsɫik// UK //slˈiːk// sleek Archaic Informal

adj. smooth, shiny, and looking expensive or well-made. You use this to describe things like fast cars, modern phones, or healthy hair.

adj. having a smooth, glossy surface and a streamlined shape that suggests speed or elegance. Often used to describe industrial design, fashion, or physical appearance.


SIMPLE

The new sports car has a sleek, modern design.

CONTEXTUAL

The company's latest smartphone features a sleek glass body and a very thin profile.

COMPLEX

Architects designed the skyscraper with a sleek, aerodynamic exterior to minimize wind resistance while maintaining a striking presence on the city skyline.

Synonyms
Origin

A late variant of slick; cognate to German schleichen (Old High German slihhan) and Dutch slijk (“mud, slime”). Compare slink.

Usage

Commonly used both attributively before a noun and predicatively after linking verbs like 'look' or 'feel'.

© 2026 English Reference