# slip out

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to say something by accident that you intended to keep secret; it can also mean to leave a place quietly without being noticed.

For teachers: to be uttered inadvertently or unintentionally; also functions as a motion verb meaning to depart a location discreetly to avoid attention.

## Examples

- I didn't mean to tell him; the secret just slipped out.
- She tried to slip out of the meeting early so she wouldn't have to talk to her boss.
- Although he had intended to remain neutral, a sharp comment about the administration's policy slipped out during the live interview.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He slipped out the secret to me." but "The secret slipped out." — in the sense of accidental speech, the phrase is intransitive; the information itself is the subject, not the person speaking.

## Usage notes

- when referring to speech, the subject is usually the information or words; when referring to leaving, the subject is the person.
- Teaching tip: contrast the 'accidental speech' sense with 'let slip', where the person is the subject; use the 'leaving' sense to teach the nuance of stealth versus a standard 'leave'.

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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.