ENGLISH
REFERENCE

slipping

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈsɫɪpɪŋ// UK //slˈɪpɪŋ// slip·ping

v. to slide accidentally or to lose a high level of quality. You use it when someone makes a small mistake or when a standard starts to drop.

v. to slide unintentionally or to decline gradually from a standard or level of excellence. Often used in the continuous form to describe a trend of worsening performance.


SIMPLE

The runner is slipping on the wet grass.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager noticed that the restaurant's service standards were slipping because the staff were overworked.

COMPLEX

While the company remains profitable, analysts warn that its market share is slipping as more agile competitors introduce innovative products at lower price points.

Synonyms
Usage

Often used in the present continuous to describe a gradual decline.

Pitfall

The glass was slipped from my handThe glass slipped from my handSlipping is often used intransitively to describe an accident; using it in the passive voice is a common error.

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