slippery slope

Meaning

This phrase refers to a course of action that seems minor but is likely to lead to a chain of bad, unwanted, or extreme events. In academic and philosophical discussions, it often refers to an argument warning against a specific decision because of its potential long-term consequences.

Examples

• Censoring minor internet content is a slippery slope that could lead to total state control of information.

  Censoring minor internet content is a slippery slope that could lead to total state control of information.

• Critics argue that allowing genetic modification in agriculture is a slippery slope to ecological disaster.

  Critics argue that allowing genetic modification in agriculture is a slippery slope to ecological disaster.

• Once you start compromising your ethical standards, it is a very slippery slope.

  Once you start compromising your ethical standards, it is a very slippery slope.

• Some scholars warn that relaxing these safety regulations is a slippery slope toward major accidents.

  Some scholars warn that relaxing these safety regulations is a slippery slope toward major accidents.

• He warned that relying too heavily on AI tools for writing is a slippery slope toward losing critical thinking skills.

  He warned that relying too heavily on AI tools for writing is a slippery slope toward losing critical thinking skills.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We are walking on a slippery slope.

  ✓ We are on a slippery slope.

  While 'slippery slope' is a physical metaphor, in English we say a situation 'is' a slippery slope, or we are 'on' a slippery slope. 'Walking on' is less idiomatic.

• ✗ The project went into a slippery slope.

  ✓ The project started down a slippery slope.

  You go 'down' a slope, or a situation 'is' a slope. You do not go 'into' it.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Allowing the government to monitor private messages is a ___ toward losing all digital privacy.

  💡 A path that leads to increasingly worse consequences.

  Show answer

  slippery slope

• We must be careful with exceptions to the rule, as it can be a ___.

  💡 An action that easily leads to more extreme outcomes.

  Show answer

  slippery slope