slippery slope

American  

noun

1. a dangerous and irreversible course.

   the slippery slope from narcotics to prison.

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slippery slope Idioms  

1. A dangerous course, one that leads easily to catastrophe, as in He's on a slippery slope, compromising his values to please both the bosses and the union. This metaphoric expression alludes to traversing a slick hillside, in constant danger of falling. [Mid-1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of slippery slope

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

It’s also a slippery slope: once you get used to having a little more cash in your bank account, it can be tempting to lower the percentage even further.

From MarketWatch • May 30, 2026

But letting the popularity of an activity determine its legality is a slippery slope.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

“That is a slippery slope of theming that can go wrong really fast,” she adds.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

In Israel Hayom, military columnist Yoav Limor describes the firefight near Rafah as "a warning", adding: "If Israel fails to establish tough and clear rules vis-à-vis Hamas it could find itself on a slippery slope."

From BBC • Oct. 20, 2025

Meanwhile, the column of soldiers and horses poured down the slippery slope.

From "In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse" by Joseph Marshall III