verb
Uncommon
sleek
sleek
Sleek (verb) means to make something smooth, glossy, or polished. Example: “She sleeked back her hair before stepping on stage.”
verb
1
To make something smooth, glossy, or polished.
"She sleeked back her hair before stepping on stage."
How to use sleek
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo smooth or polish something so it looks glossy — most often used of hair or fur.
Common mistake
The adjective "sleek" (smooth, stylish) is far more common today than this verb form — most people will only ever use "sleek" as a describing word.
Common pairings
sleek back one's hair
sleeked fur
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- sleeks
- Past tense
- sleeked
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She _____ back her hair before stepping on stage.
Etymology
A later spelling variant of "slick," sharing roots with German schleichen ("to creep, glide").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for sleek
See all rhymes for sleek →Frequently asked questions
What does “sleek” mean?
The word “sleek” means to make something smooth, glossy, or polished. In plain terms, to smooth or polish something so it looks glossy — most often used of hair or fur.
How do you pronounce “sleek”?
“Sleek” is pronounced sleek (/sliːk/ in IPA).
How do you use “sleek” in a sentence?
Here is “sleek” used in a sentence: “She sleeked back her hair before stepping on stage.”
What part of speech is “sleek”?
“Sleek” is a verb.
Where does the word “sleek” come from?
The word “sleek” comes from German. A later spelling variant of "slick," sharing roots with German schleichen ("to creep, glide").
Is “sleek” a common word?
“Sleek” is an uncommon word in modern English.
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