1 B1 idiomatic neutral
Of time: to pass more quickly than expected or without being fully noticed.
"I can't believe it's December already — this year has really slipped by."
inseparable
slip by
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
To pass without being noticed, caught, or taken advantage of — said of time, chances, mistakes, or people.
In plain English
Pass by without being noticed or without being stopped.
What does "slip by" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
Of an error, opportunity, or detail: to go unnoticed or to pass without being acted upon.
"Several factual errors slipped by the proofreader in the first edition."
inseparable
3 B1 neutral
Of a person: to move past someone or through a space without being noticed or stopped.
"He managed to slip by the security guard while he was distracted."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To slip (move smoothly) past or by something — partially transparent.
Actually means
Pass by without being noticed or without being stopped.
Usage tip
Used both physically (a person slipping by unnoticed) and figuratively (time, errors, or opportunities slipping by). In journalism, often used about mistakes that weren't caught by editors or facts that were overlooked. A very versatile and common phrasal verb.
Words that pair with "slip by"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
time years chance mistake error deadline
How to conjugate "slip by"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
slip by
I/you/we/they
3rd person
slips by
he/she/it
Past simple
sliped by
yesterday
Past participle
sliped by
have + pp
-ing form
sliping by
continuous
Hear "slip by" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "slip by" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.