1 B1 neutral
To put on a piece of clothing quickly and easily
"She slipped into her dress and was ready in under five minutes."
inseparable
slip into
B1 neutral inseparable transitive
To move into a state, habit, or garment smoothly and often without deliberate effort
In plain English
To start doing or feeling something without really meaning to, or to put on clothes quickly and easily
What does "slip into" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To gradually enter a state, condition, or mood, often without intending to
"After losing his job, he slowly slipped into a deep depression."
“
The patient slipped into a coma shortly after arriving at the hospital.
— Common journalistic phrasing, widely attested in news reporting
inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To begin speaking in a different language or accent naturally and without deliberate thought
"Whenever she called her grandmother, she would slip into her native dialect."
inseparable
4 B1 neutral
To move quietly into a place
"He slipped into the room without waking the baby."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To slide smoothly into something
Actually means
To start doing or feeling something without really meaning to, or to put on clothes quickly and easily
Usage tip
Very commonly used with clothing (slip into something comfortable) and with states or behaviors (slip into a coma, slip into bad habits). The clothing usage is literal; the state usage is idiomatic.
Words that pair with "slip into"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
coma habit routine depression something comfortable conversation
How to conjugate "slip into"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
slip into
I/you/we/they
3rd person
slips into
he/she/it
Past simple
sliped into
yesterday
Past participle
sliped into
have + pp
-ing form
sliping into
continuous
Hear "slip into" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "slip into" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "slip into"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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