slippery slope
Plural
slippery slopes
1
a situation where a small initial action or decision leads to a chain of events that ultimately results in a more significant and often negative outcome
- Allowing one exception to the rule could be the start of a slippery slope toward chaos.
- He argued that censorship is a slippery slope that could lead to a loss of free speech.
- Borrowing money to pay off debts can become a slippery slope into financial trouble.
- Ignoring small issues in the relationship may create a slippery slope toward bigger problems.
- Agreeing to one unfair demand could set a slippery slope for more unreasonable requests.