Slippery Similes
Slippery is what something becomes when you stop trusting it. The simile is the moment of warning - a character described as "slippery as an eel" has already escaped twice in the reader's head before the scene starts.
The strongest slippery comparisons lean on aquatic life (eel, fish, snake) or substances that resist grip (soap, oil, ice). The animal versions imply intent - the eel slips because it wants to. The substance versions imply danger - the floor slips because physics will not cooperate. Match the metaphor to the kind of trouble you mean.
Use them for con artists, weather-soaked staircases, politicians, and anything you want the reader to brace against. They work especially well in dialogue, where one slippery simile can do the same work as a paragraph of exposition about why the speaker doesn't trust the listener.
Below: every "as slippery as" simile in the SimileStack database, from the dependable old eel to the more recent additions. Pick the one with the right kind of menace.
- Slippery as a buttered eel
- As slippery as a soap in a men’s prison
- As slippery as an eel
- As slippery as ice
- As slippery as a serpent
Frequently asked
What does "as slippery as" mean?
"As slippery as" is a simile - a comparison using "as" to make a quality vivid. When something is "as slippery as" something else, the speaker is using the second thing as a familiar example of slipperyness, so the reader can picture the quality instead of just reading the word.
How many "as slippery as" similes are there?
SimileStack lists 5 similes for Slippery. Common ones include "As slippery as a serpent" and "As slippery as a soap in a men’s prison". The full list is on this page.
When should I use a "slippery" simile in writing?
Use a "slippery" simile when you want the reader to feel slipperyness rather than just register the adjective. They work especially well in description, character work, and dialogue, where one well-chosen comparison can do the work of a whole paragraph.