# slip into

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/slip-into
Updated: 2026-10-23

## Definition

to put on a piece of clothing quickly and easily, or to gradually start being in a certain state or habit.

For teachers: to assume a garment with minimal effort; figuratively, to transition into a state, condition, or routine in a gradual or effortless manner.

## Examples

- I'll just slip into something more comfortable before dinner.
- After working late every night for a month, he began to slip into some very unhealthy eating habits.
- The novelist describes how the protagonist would slip into a deep melancholy whenever the autumn rains began to fall.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He slipped into of his jacket." but "He slipped into his jacket." — the preposition 'into' functions as the particle and should not be followed by 'of'.

## Usage notes

- takes a direct object, usually a piece of clothing or an abstract noun representing a state of mind or habit.
- Teaching tip: highlight the 'smoothness' or 'ease' implied by 'slip'; contrast with 'put on' for clothes or 'become' for states to show the lack of resistance.

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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.