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Tricky vs Slippery - What's the difference?

tricky | slippery |

As adjectives the difference between tricky and slippery

is that tricky is hard to deal with, complicated while slippery is of a surface, having low friction, often due to being covered in a non-viscous liquid, and therefore hard to grip, hard to stand on without falling, etc.

tricky

English

Adjective

(er)
  • hard to deal with, complicated
  • They were in a tricky situation.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=September 15 , author=Amy Lawrence , title=Arsenal's Gervinho enjoys the joy of six against lowly Southampton , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=It was as comfortable an afternoon as Arsène Wenger could have wished for in a situation that can be tricky in between internationals and the upcoming Champions League. }}
  • adept at using deception
  • A tricky salesman can sell anything.

    See also

    * sneaky

    slippery

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Of a surface, having low friction, often due to being covered in a non-viscous liquid, and therefore hard to grip, hard to stand on without falling, etc.
  • Oily substances render things slippery .
  • (figuratively, by extension) Evasive; difficult to pin down.
  • a slippery person
    a slippery promise
  • (obsolete) Liable to slip; not standing firm.
  • * 1602 , , III. iii. 84:
  • Which when they fall, as being slippery' standers, / The love that leaned on them, as ' slippery too, / Do one pluck down another, and together / Die in the fall.
  • unstable; changeable; inconstant
  • * Denham
  • The slippery state of kings.
  • (obsolete) wanton; unchaste; loose in morals
  • * 1610 , , I. ii. 273:
  • My wife is slippery ? If thou wilt confess –

    Derived terms

    * slippery as an eel * slippery elm * slippery nipple * slippery slope

    Synonyms

    * (of a surface) greasy, slick, slimy, slippy, wet

    Antonyms

    * (of a surface) sticky