How to Use slick in a Sentence

slick

1 of 4 adjective
  • The video game has slick graphics.
  • Be careful as you drive home—the roads are slick.
  • The new kid had some slick moves on the basketball court.
  • The students did a slick job of promoting the concert.
  • Its wings were slick with rain.
    — Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The steps were steep, and the stone was slick.
    — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
  • One pantry staple that helps with slick ice?
    — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 19 Jan. 2026
  • Because our time is slick and glossy, right?
    — Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
  • Roads could get slick, so caution is key.
    — Justin Lewis, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
  • There’s nothing slick about them.
    — Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The grains were slick with soy sauce, each one caramelized and tinged with smoke.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
  • And who doesn’t want to save on a slick handheld vac?
    — Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2026
  • Home cooks are looking for pans that are both slick and safe.
    — Ryan Brennan june 2, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026
  • The slick coating sold as Teflon.
    — Ryan Brennan june 2, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026
  • The chow fun noodles are just al dente and slick with soy sauce and oil.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024
  • Patchy black ice could make for a slick start, even though the air feels cool and calm.
    — CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • That was all part of Horan’s slick pitch.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Tolbert also made a slick play to end the game.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2026
  • Her hair was swept back into a slick ponytail.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Light rain can create a slick top layer and a skid risk.
    — Tilly Berendt, New York Times, 11 June 2026
  • Slushy snow will linger to the north, with slick spots possible.
    — Joseph Dames, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Her dark hair fans out in slick discordant plumes, like mine.
    — Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Higgins had a slick back-shoulder catch.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Higgins had a slick back-shoulder catch.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
  • Some light scrambling over slick rocks is required to reach the cave floor.
    — Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 15 Aug. 2023
  • Drivers should watch for slick spots early.
    — Cheryl Vari, Cincinnati Enquirer, 16 Feb. 2026
  • During rain or snowmelt, trails become slick.
    — Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Roads can be slick too, though, and there will be big tractors and trucks pulling in and out.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
  • As many of us can attest, this slick layer of ice can lead to nasty falls.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 2026
  • The first half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mix of rain, grime, and oil.
    — Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026

slick

2 of 4 verb
  • The rain slicked the roads.
  • Her hair was slicked back into a bun.
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
  • My father’s hair is slicked back.
    — Daisy Rockwell, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
  • What kind of hair damage can slick-back styles cause?
    — Grace McCarty, Glamour, 18 Nov. 2025
  • Here, her side bangs were slicked to the right of her forehead.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 17 Nov. 2025
  • The greens are crisp and slicked with just the right amount of dressing.
    — Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Sparks flew, and my face was pelted with bits of ground pork and slicked with brine.
    — Adam Shatz, The New Yorker, 18 Nov. 2019
  • Her pixie cut was slicked back behind her ears.
    — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
  • Her hair was slicked back, and her makeup was dewy and glossy with a deep nude lip.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Season with salt and toss in enough dressing to slick the grains.
    — Kitty Greenwald, WSJ, 15 Mar. 2023
  • Hermés opted for a beige linen suit and wore his hair slicked back.
    — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
  • My hair slicked back, my ponytail pinned away, a white sailor’s cap perched on my head.
    — Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, Harper's magazine, 25 Nov. 2019
  • Her mother wore her blonde pixie slicked back and threw on a pair of shades.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Her black hair was barely an inch long and nearly slicked down to her scalp.
    — Gabi Thorne, Allure, 29 Sep. 2023
  • Her hair was brushed and slicked away from her face, spiraling at the crown of her head.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 20 Nov. 2025
  • The rest of her hair was slicked down, with the front portion subtly waved near her face.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 26 Feb. 2024
  • Her dark-blonde hair was slicked back, and her glam look included rosy blush and a new lip.
    — Quinci Legardye, Harper's BAZAAR, 2 Apr. 2023
  • Drain and slick them with a little bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
    — Sam Burros, Peoplemag, 10 Oct. 2023
  • Her hair was then slicked back by Liu; the front fringe left to fall across her forehead.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 5 Jan. 2026
  • As for her hair, Jenner’s locks were slicked back in a low updo.
    — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, 13 May 2018
  • Pascal wore his hair slicked back and once again showed off his signature stache.
    — Justin Ray, Robb Report, 2 May 2023
  • The front was slicked back, and the black bow added a feminine finish.
    — Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
  • West's curls were slicked into a low bun with a twisted strand framing her face.
    — Gabi Thorne, Allure, 28 Aug. 2023
  • With her hair slicked back, all eyes were on Harvey’s glowy makeup look.
    — Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 16 Aug. 2023
  • After using your board, wash and dry it, then slick the surface with this stuff.
    — Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 13 July 2022
  • Sivan’s hair is wet and platinum blond and slicked in curls cascading from his skull.
    — Brennan Carley, GQ, 19 June 2018
  • The tonkotsu broth is velvety, an opaque off-white slicked with black garlic oil.
    — Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 31 Jan. 2026
  • The actress’ hair was slicked back into a tight chignon, save for a few wisps of hair to frame her face.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Her brown hair was slicked up into a high pony, with two little face framing strands left out.
    — Briannah Rivera, Seventeen, 18 July 2023
  • The look was paired with knee-high socks and white tennis shoes while Williams wore her hair slicked back.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 28 July 2023

slick

3 of 4 noun
  • Late in the day, a 5-foot long blue shark swam into our chum slick.
    — Brian Skerry, National Geographic, 31 July 2020
  • The wheel began to shake in my hands; the road had grown slick, as though with oil.
    — Ben Lerner, Harper's Magazine, 3 Nov. 2023
  • Plus, the buildup can make the bath mat slick and create a hazard.
    — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
  • Her slick, curled bixie cut echoed the clean sculptural lines of the look.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 21 May 2026
  • The hillside became a mud slick.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 May 2026
  • At dawn the sea is a slick of pink in the small cove near our house in Portland.
    — Jessica Kerwin Jenkins, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2020
  • There should be a good, hearty slick covering the entire pot.
    — Felicia Campbell, The Arizona Republic, 17 Nov. 2022
  • The oil spill was the largest in history, and in some places the slick was five inches thick.
    — The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2021
  • Slide in 1 slice bread, quickly flipping it so both sides get a slick of butter.
    — Smitha Menon, Bon Appétit, 11 Mar. 2023
  • Officials may have thought that would send the massive slick farther out to sea.
    — Janet Wilson, USA TODAY, 5 Oct. 2021
  • His hair has the slick, uniform blackness that comes only from a bottle.
    — The Economist, 18 Dec. 2019
  • Grilled turbot with salsa verde shines even brighter with a rich slick of hummus on the bottom.
    — Melissa Clark, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023
  • Barbie’s Corvette isn’t any old convertible with a slick of pink paint.
    — Time, 27 June 2023
  • The hard rubber, despite a pebbled surface, gets slick when wet.
    — Tom Verducci, SI.com, 23 Sep. 2019
  • One person’s entire job for the day is mopping up the floors; errant slicks of sweat could cause a slip.
    — Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026
  • Golladay made a slick open-field move to get in the end zone on his 59-yard touchdown catch.
    — Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, 4 Nov. 2019
  • That creamy spread gets sandwiched between tortillas, topped with cheese, and fried in a slick of oil until crisp.
    — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 14 Oct. 2025
  • If chumming is involved, the stern is also prime because the slick will flow out behind the boat.
    — Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 8 Nov. 2023
  • Drivers faced challenges as rain fell before and during the race, making the track slick and wet.
    — oregonlive, 4 June 2022
  • Is the coating slick or rough, and will that impact the gun’s operation?
    — Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 11 Jan. 2021
  • In the end, the styling really does feel ultra-slick and confident, just like the song.
    — Rachel Hahn, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2019
  • The Ouai’s famous hair oil keeps even the most unmanageable hair slick and shiny.
    — Anna Tingley, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023
  • The neat braid jam is the perfect jam to slick and blend the hair with the extensions for a flawless install.
    — Akili King, Essence, 17 Jan. 2024
  • The texture did leave an oily slick in the mouth afterwards, noticed Uskokovic.
    — Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 29 Aug. 2022
  • Underneath is a slick of aioli, both herbaceous and acidic, punched up with Thai basil and more citrus.
    — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Aug. 2023
  • The famous slicks of F1 racing ensure the most contact with the ground.
    — Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 2 Mar. 2023
  • President Richard Nixon walked on the beach and flew over the slick in a helicopter.
    — Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
  • The sidewalks were already frozen slick early in December, and my body was rigid from the jagged cold.
    — Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
  • But the slick back bun, classical music and balletic dress was not Liu’s brand.
    — Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
  • The driver is told to back off so there’s enough space to stop the truck in time on the rain-slick road if the lead car suddenly slams on its brakes.
    — IEEE Spectrum, 6 Sep. 2025

slick

4 of 4 adverb
  • This slick-looking pen creates smooth lines with the ink color of your choosing.
    — Jillian Tracy, CNN Underscored, 3 Aug. 2020
  • The best ones were successful in keeping our hair matte, non-greasy, and slick-free.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The earth between the pipe and the riverbank is covered in a slick-looking, bright orange goop.
    — Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
  • The slick-fielding shortstop played on the varsity as a freshman.
    — Pat Disabato, chicagotribune.com, 29 Apr. 2021
  • The company is also showing off a full-scale, slick-looking black model at events.
    — Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2023
  • The Arctic Circle is wrapped in a slick-looking matte gray and white livery.
    — Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 2 Feb. 2022
  • Moreover, this slick-looking and enjoyable-enough romp seems to pass the Jumanji test.
    — Scott Mendelson, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2021
  • Now, this slick-looking player, with the sharp goatee and nice leather jacket, is getting ready to go upstate and do a seven-year bid.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2021
  • The Rockies have been looking for a slugging, slick-fielding first baseman since Todd Helton retired.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2022
  • The slick-fielding shortstop moved over to second and was a quality defender despite never really playing there.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 8 Nov. 2021
  • The slick-looking four-wheel-drive remote control car has smooth rear wheels and a lightweight plastic chassis for easy drifting and recovery, with a top speed of 15 miles per hour.
    — Rachel Klein, Popular Mechanics, 4 Aug. 2022
  • For the uninitiated, the show features three slick-headed, silent, slightly twitchy Blue Men who communicate through music and movement.
    — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026
  • The self-congratulatory note in the blooper reel over the end credits feels unearned on a slick-looking movie that gets too tangled up in its own complications to remain effective.
    — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2022
  • With precise steering, predictable handling, and an available slick-shifting six-speed manual transmission, this Miata is a textbook topless sports car.
    — ABC News, 10 June 2026
  • The corner block never had much of a design justification, but with the individual camera lens, Samsung has landed on an honestly slick-looking minimal design.
    — Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 1 Feb. 2023
  • Heyward never figured it out at the plate, and Swanson, who still has four years left on a seven-year, $177 million deal, has been a slick-fielding shortstop and a bottom-of-the-order, just-above-average hitter.
    — Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
  • The Reds pursued Suárez at the deadline, but pivoted to the slick-fielding Hayes after the Arizona Diamondbacks sent Suárez to Seattle.
    — C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
  • The Heralds feature a slick-fielding shortstop in junior Gigi Bojorquez, who is committed to Southern Illinois Edwardsville.
    — Dan Albano, Oc Register, 2 June 2026
  • Luis Urías, 23, in his first season in the majors as an everyday shortstop, has enjoyed playing next to slick-fielding second baseman Kolten Wong and getting the opportunity to turn some sizzling double plays with him.
    — Tom Haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8 May 2021
  • Before playing slick-talking lawyer Billy Flynn in Chicago, Ballas appeared on Broadway first in 2016, as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys.
    — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Leading the Swiss is defensive midfielder Granit Xhaka, whose one goal, six assists and eight yellow cards for Sunderland in the Premier League paint quite the accurate picture of how the hard-tackling, slick-passing 33-year-old makes an impact.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 June 2026
  • With Cedric Mullins on third base with one out as the go-ahead run in the 10th inning during a recent road game at the rocking Rogers Centre, most anyone who has watched the Rays this season figured slick-fielding, light-hitting shortstop Taylor Walls would drop a squeeze bunt.
    — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026
  • Just last week, PEOPLE announced exclusively that comedian Matteo Lane will join the cast as slick-talking lawyer Billy Flynn beginning Monday, June 22.
    — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026
  • Matteo Lane will join the cast of Broadway's long-running hit musical as slick-talking lawyer Billy Flynn beginning Monday, June 22 at the Ambassador Theatre in New York City, PEOPLE can exclusively announce.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: