Phrase guide

slip away

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To leave without being noticed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I'm going to try to slip away from work early, if I can.
  • 1906, Edith Nesbit, The Railway Children, Chapter 4: The engine-burglar, But when Bobbie crept down later to bring up her presents--for she felt she really could not be separated from them all night--Mother was not writing, but leaning her head on her arms and her arms on the table. I think it was rather good of Bobbie to slip quietly away, saying over and over, "She doesn't want me to know she's unhappy, and I won't know; I won't know." But it made a sad end to the birthday.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: slide off, slip off, sneak off

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To pass quickly, almost unnoticed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The months slipped away and became years.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To disappear; to elude one; to recede; to dwindle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To die peacefully.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: euphemistic

Examples

  • He slipped away quietly in his sleep.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

pass by

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • three years elapsed

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: elapse, lapse, pass, slip by, glide by, go by, slide by, go along

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: advance, progress, pass on, move on, march on, go on

Narrower terms: fly, fell, vanish

6

verb

Meaning 6

leave furtively and stealthily

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The lecture was boring and many students slipped out when the instructor turned towards the blackboard

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: steal away, sneak away, sneak off, sneak out

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: leave, go forth, go away

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

25 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: ծլկել (clkel) — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Azerbaijani: cırmaq — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Dutch: wegglijden — to leave a place without being noticed
  • German: davonmachen — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Irish: slíoc leat — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Italian: andarsene alla chetichella — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Italian: squagliarsela — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Italian: svignarsela — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Māori: unu — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Polish: wyślizgiwać się — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Polish: wyślizgnąć się — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Spanish: escabullirse — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Spanish: escaquearse — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Spanish: escurrirse — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Spanish: esfumarse — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Spanish: dar esquinazo — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Yiddish: אַוועקמאַכן (avekmakhn) — to leave a place without being noticed
  • Italian: passare in fretta — to pass quickly
  • Italian: sfumare — to pass quickly
  • Polish: prześlizgiwać się — to pass quickly
  • Polish: wyślizgnąć się — to pass quickly
  • Italian: venire meno — to die
  • Italian: scomparire — to die
  • Polish: odchodzić — to die
  • Polish: odejść — to die