What does "slope" mean?
An area of ground that tends evenly upward or downward.
Slope
/sloʊp/ adj, adv, noun, verb, slang
adj, adv, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An area of ground that tends evenly upward or downward.
- Grammar: slope is listed as adj, adv, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: gradient, grade, incline, a grade.
- Useful contrasts: flat area, cliff, cliffs.
- Usage evidence: One night a merchant was walking up the slope on his way home.
How to use "slope"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "slope" 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 "slope" 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 "slope" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "slope" 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 "slope" is acting as adj, adv, noun, verb, slang 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 "gradient" 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 "slope", 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 An area of ground that tends evenly upward or downward. countable, uncountable
"I had to climb a small slope to get to the site."
- 2 the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the horizontal wordnet
- 3 The degree to which a surface tends upward or downward. countable, uncountable
"The road has a very sharp downward slope at that point."
- 4 an elevated geological formation wordnet
- 5 The ratio of the vertical and horizontal distances between two points lying on the line. countable, uncountable
"The slope of this line is 0.5"
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 The slope of the line tangent to the curve at the given point. countable, proscribed, sometimes, uncountable
"The slope of a parabola increases linearly with x."
- 7 The angle a roof surface makes with the horizontal, expressed as a ratio of the units of vertical rise to the units of horizontal length (sometimes referred to as run). countable, uncountable
"The slope of an asphalt shingle roof system should be 4:12 or greater."
- 8 A person of Chinese or other East Asian descent. countable, ethnic, offensive, slur, uncountable, vulgar
Verb
- 1 To tend steadily upward or downward. intransitive
"The road slopes sharply down at that point."
- 2 be at an angle wordnet
- 3 To form with a slope; to give an oblique or slanting direction to; to incline or slant. transitive
"to slope the ground in a garden; to slope a piece of cloth in cutting a garment"
- 4 To try to move surreptitiously. UK, colloquial, usually
"I sloped in through the back door, hoping my boss wouldn't see me."
- 5 To hold a rifle at a slope with forearm perpendicular to the body in front holding the butt, the rifle resting on the shoulder.
"The order was given to "slope arms"."
Adjective
- 1 Sloping. obsolete
"A bank not steep, but gently slope."
Adverb
- 1 slopingly obsolete
"So promis'd he; and Uriel to his charge Return'd on that bright beam , whose point now rais'd , Bore him slope downward to the sun"
Example
"One night a merchant was walking up the slope on his way home."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "slope"?
Common synonyms include: gradient, grade, incline, a grade, acclivity, angle.
How do you use "slope" in a sentence?
One night a merchant was walking up the slope on his way home.
How do you pronounce "slope"?
Pronounced /sloʊp/.
Etymology
From aslope (adjective, adverb).