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View synonyms for slow

slow

[ sloh ]

adjective

, slow·er, slow·est.
  1. moving or proceeding with little or less than usual speed or velocity:

    a slow train.

    Synonyms: unhurried

    Antonyms: fast

  2. characterized by lack of speed:

    a slow pace.

    Synonyms: unhurried

    Antonyms: fast

  3. taking or requiring a comparatively long time for completion:

    a slow meal; a slow trip.

    Antonyms: fast

  4. requiring or taking a long time for growing, changing, or occurring; gradual:

    a plant of slow growth.

  5. made, created, or done in a careful, thorough, or traditional way in order to ensure such benefits as quality, environmental sustainability, or time for mental reflection: What's known as slow journalism is an approach to reporting that avoids superficial headlines and instead focuses on in-depth storytelling and a more considered analysis of events.

    Give slow tourism a try as you leisurely explore this charming island, soak in the surrounding nature, and savor local encounters.

    What's known as slow journalism is an approach to reporting that avoids superficial headlines and instead focuses on in-depth storytelling and a more considered analysis of events.

  6. sluggish in nature, disposition, or function.

    Synonyms: slothful, lazy, indolent, dilatory, sluggardly

  7. dull of perception or understanding; mentally dull:

    a slow child.

    Synonyms: dense

  8. not prompt, readily disposed, or in haste (usually followed by to or an infinitive):

    slow to anger; slow to take offense.

  9. burning or heating with little speed or intensity, as a fire or an oven.
  10. slack; not busy:

    The market was slow today.

  11. having some quality that retards speed or causes movement, progress, work, etc., to be accomplished at less than the usual or expected rate of speed: a slow road.

    a slow, careful worker;

    a slow road.

  12. running at less than the proper rate of speed or registering less than the proper time, as a clock.
  13. passing heavily or dragging, as time:

    It's been a slow afternoon.

  14. not progressive; behind the times: a slow town.
  15. dull, humdrum, uninteresting, or tedious:

    What a slow party!

    Synonyms: boring

  16. Photography. requiring long exposure, as by having a small lens diameter or low film sensitivity:

    a slow lens or film.

  17. (of the surface of a race track) sticky from a fairly recent rain and in the process of drying out.


adverb

, slow·er, slow·est.
  1. in a slow manner; slowly:

    Drive slow.

verb (used with object)

  1. to make slow or slower (often followed by up or down ).
  2. to retard; reduce the advancement or progress of:

    His illness slowed him at school.

    Synonyms: obstruct, impede, hinder

    Antonyms: advance

verb (used without object)

  1. to become slow or slower; slacken in speed (often followed by up or down ).

slow

/ sləʊ /

adjective

  1. performed or occurring during a comparatively long interval of time
  2. lasting a comparatively long time

    a slow journey

  3. characterized by lack of speed

    a slow walker

  4. prenominal adapted to or productive of slow movement

    the slow lane of a motorway

  5. (of a clock, etc) indicating a time earlier than the correct time
  6. given to or characterized by a leisurely or lazy existence

    a slow town

  7. not readily responsive to stimulation; intellectually unreceptive

    a slow mind

  8. dull or uninteresting

    the play was very slow

  9. not easily aroused

    a slow temperament

  10. lacking promptness or immediacy

    a slow answer

  11. unwilling to perform an action or enter into a state

    slow to anger

  12. behind the times
  13. (of trade, etc) unproductive; slack
  14. (of a fire) burning weakly
  15. (of an oven) cool
  16. photog requiring a relatively long time of exposure to produce a given density

    a slow lens

  17. sport (of a track, etc) tending to reduce the speed of the ball or the competitors
  18. cricket (of a bowler, etc) delivering the ball slowly, usually with spin
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. in a manner characterized by lack of speed; slowly
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. often foll byup or down to decrease or cause to decrease in speed, efficiency, etc
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Confusables Note

As an adverb, slow has two forms, slow and slowly. Slowly appeared first in the 15th century; slow came into use shortly thereafter. Both are standard today in certain uses. Originally, slow was used both preceding and following the verb it modified. Today, it is used chiefly in imperative constructions with short verbs of motion ( drive, run, turn, walk, etc.), and it follows the verb: Drive slow. Don't walk so slow. This use is more common in speech than in writing, although it occurs widely on traffic and road signs. Slow also combines with present participles in forming adjectives: slow-burning; slow-moving. In this use it is standard in all varieties of speech and writing. Slowly is by far the more common form of the adverb in writing. In both speech and writing it is the usual form in preverb position ( He slowly drove down the street. The couple slowly strolled into the park ) and following verbs that are not imperatives ( He drove slowly down the street. The couple strolled slowly through the park ). quick, sure.
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Derived Forms

  • ˈslowness, noun
  • ˈslowly, adverb
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Other Words From

  • slow·ly adverb
  • slow·ness noun
  • o·ver·slow adjective
  • o·ver·slow·ly adverb
  • o·ver·slow·ness noun
  • ul·tra·slow adjective
  • ul·tra·slow·ly adverb
  • un·slow adjective
  • un·slow·ly adverb
  • un·slow·ness noun
  • un·slowed adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of slow1

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English slāw “sluggish, dull”; cognate with Dutch sleeuw; sloth
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Word History and Origins

Origin of slow1

Old English slāw sluggish; related to Old High German slēo dull, Old Norse slǣr, Dutch sleeuw slow
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Idioms and Phrases

  • mills of the gods grind slowly
  • on the uptake, slow
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Synonym Study

Slow, deliberate, gradual, leisurely mean unhurried and not happening rapidly. That which is slow acts or moves without haste or rapidity: a slow procession of cars. Deliberate implies the slowness that marks careful consideration before and while acting: a deliberate and calculating manner. Gradual suggests the slowness of something that advances one step at a time: a gradual improvement in service. That which is leisurely moves with the slowness allowed by ample time or the absence of pressure: an unhurried and leisurely stroll. See dull.
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Example Sentences

“Looking ahead, e-commerce growth is expected to continue… albeit at a slower pace.”

From BBC

Those winds will continue at times well into Sunday and Monday as Storm Bert makes slow progress eastward across the UK.

From BBC

Distractions slow the reaction time of automated vehicle remote drivers by over five seconds, new research has shown.

Children aged between three and seven who are slower at acquiring skills to manage their intense emotions were also found to be at risk of displaying more conduct issues.

Until now, however, they've focused primarily on detecting gamma rays from these axions' slow transformation into photons in the magnetic fields of galaxies.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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