1 B2 neutral
(Sport) To get the ball past a goalkeeper or defender
"The striker managed to slip one past the keeper with a low shot to the right."
inseparable
slip one past
C1 informal mixed transitive
To deceive someone or get something past their notice or defenses
In plain English
To trick someone or do something sneaky without them realizing it
What does "slip one past" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic informal
To deceive someone or get something past their scrutiny without being detected
"You can't slip one past the chief editor — she catches every factual error."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move one ball or object past a defender
Actually means
To trick someone or do something sneaky without them realizing it
Usage tip
Originates from sports (especially football/soccer), where it literally means to get the ball past a goalkeeper. Now widely used figuratively. The object is typically a person ('you can't slip one past her').
Words that pair with "slip one past"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
goalkeeper defender editor boss guard teacher
How to conjugate "slip one past"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
slip one past
I/you/we/they
3rd person
slips one past
he/she/it
Past simple
sliped one past
yesterday
Past participle
sliped one past
have + pp
-ing form
sliping one past
continuous
Hear "slip one past" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "slip one past" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "slip one past"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
deceive dupe fool pull a fast one put one over on trick
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.