1 C1 formal
(Biology) To shed or cast off dead skin, scales, or an outer layer
"Snakes slough off their skin several times a year as they grow."
separable
slough off
C1 formal separable transitive
To shed dead skin or an outer layer, or figuratively to discard something unwanted such as a habit or attitude
In plain English
To peel off dead skin, or to get rid of something you no longer want or need
What does "slough off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic formal
(Figurative) To get rid of something unwanted, such as a habit, attitude, or old identity
"She moved to a new city hoping to slough off her reputation and start fresh."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To shed dead outer skin, as a snake does
Actually means
To peel off dead skin, or to get rid of something you no longer want or need
Usage tip
The literal biological sense (skin, scales) is technical. The figurative sense (slough off old habits, a past identity) appears in literary and formal writing. The word 'slough' rhymes with 'tough', not 'though'.
Words that pair with "slough off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
skin scales dead cells habit past identity
How to conjugate "slough off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
slough off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sloughs off
he/she/it
Past simple
sloughed off
yesterday
Past participle
sloughed off
have + pp
-ing form
sloughing off
continuous
Hear "slough off" in the wild
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