What does "slipstream" mean?
The low-pressure zone immediately following a rapidly moving object, caused by turbulence.
Slipstream
/ˈslɪp.stɹiːm/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The low-pressure zone immediately following a rapidly moving object, caused by turbulence.
- Grammar: slipstream is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: airstream, backwash, race, wash.
- Usage evidence: Monza was the seventh race in a row at which Leclerc had out-qualified Vettel. There were extenuating circumstances this time - Vettel did not have a slipstream on his first lap and the farcical end to qualifying prevented him doing another - but a clear pattern is emerging.
How to use "slipstream"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "slipstream" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "slipstream" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "slipstream" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "slipstream" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "slipstream" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "airstream" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "slipstream", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The low-pressure zone immediately following a rapidly moving object, caused by turbulence. countable, uncountable
"Monza was the seventh race in a row at which Leclerc had out-qualified Vettel. There were extenuating circumstances this time - Vettel did not have a slipstream on his first lap and the farcical end to qualifying prevented him doing another - but a clear pattern is emerging."
- 2 the flow of air that is driven backwards by an aircraft propeller wordnet
- 3 A generated advantage which makes forward movement easier. broadly, countable, figuratively, uncountable
"The Republicans, who in fact quintessentially represent what I understand to be private and special interests of a narrow economic kind, have nevertheless managed, flying in the slipstream of Ronald Reagan's rhetoric, to look like the true guardians of the nation's public interest."
- 4 The relative wind experienced as a result of movement through air. countable, uncountable
- 5 The airflow over a propeller-driven aircraft generated by the motion of its propeller(s). countable, uncountable
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A genre of fantastic or non-realistic fiction that crosses conventional genre boundaries. uncountable
"Slipstream is not simply a mixture of fantasy and realism, but something which lies between or even beyond the two."
Verb
- 1 To take advantage of the suction produced by a slipstream by travelling immediately behind the slipstream generator.
"Although dangerous, over-the-road truck drivers sometimes slipstream with each other to save fuel."
- 2 To incorporate additional software (such as patches) into an existing installer. transitive
"You do this by slipstreaming the updates into the distribution folder."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Monza was the seventh race in a row at which Leclerc had out-qualified Vettel. There were extenuating circumstances this time - Vettel did not have a slipstream on his first lap and the farcical end to qualifying prevented him doing another - but a clear pattern is emerging."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "slipstream"?
Common synonyms include: airstream, backwash, race, wash.
How do you use "slipstream" in a sentence?
Monza was the seventh race in a row at which Leclerc had out-qualified Vettel. There were extenuating circumstances this time - Vettel did not have a slipstream on his first lap and the farcical end to qualifying prevented him doing another - but a clear pattern is emerging.
How do you pronounce "slipstream"?
Pronounced /ˈslɪp.stɹiːm/.
Etymology
Compound of slip + stream. Fiction sense coined by cyberpunk author Bruce Sterling in 1989.