slow
moving or proceeding with little or less than usual speed or velocity: a slow train.
characterized by lack of speed: a slow pace.
taking or requiring a comparatively long time for completion: a slow meal; a slow trip.
requiring or taking a long time for growing, changing, or occurring; gradual: a plant of slow growth.
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: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.
sluggish in nature, disposition, or function.
dull of perception or understanding; mentally dull: a slow child.
not prompt, readily disposed, or in haste (usually followed by to or an infinitive): slow to anger; slow to take offense.
burning or heating with little speed or intensity, as a fire or an oven.
slack; not busy: The market was slow today.
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, careful worker; a slow road.
running at less than the proper rate of speed or registering less than the proper time, as a clock.
passing heavily or dragging, as time: It's been a slow afternoon.
not progressive; behind the times: a slow town.
dull, humdrum, uninteresting, or tedious: What a slow party!
Photography. requiring long exposure, as by having a small lens diameter or low film sensitivity: a slow lens or film.
(of the surface of a race track) sticky from a fairly recent rain and in the process of drying out.
in a slow manner; slowly: Drive slow.
to make slow or slower (often followed by up or down).
to retard; reduce the advancement or progress of: His illness slowed him at school.
to become slow or slower; slacken in speed (often followed by up or down).
Origin of slow
1synonym study For slow
confusables note For slow
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 ). See also quick, sure.
Other words for slow
Opposites for slow
Other words from slow
- 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
Words Nearby slow
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use slow in a sentence
They’ve really worked out a good way to tease out very subtle, slow temporal changes.
Underwater earthquakes’ sound waves reveal changes in ocean warming | Carolyn Gramling | September 17, 2020 | Science NewsThat’s because coastal wetlands would sop up the excess water, slowing the surge upstream.
Soggy coastal soils? Here’s why ecologists love them | Alison Pearce Stevens | September 17, 2020 | Science News For StudentsIn the longer term, of course, we need to slow down climate change.
Suppressing fires has failed. Here’s what California needs to do instead. | James Temple | September 17, 2020 | MIT Technology ReviewRestaurant and catering sales fell 7% year-on-year in August, a slower pace than July’s 11% drop and June’s nearly 33% decrease.
China retail sales are finally growing—but remain the ‘weakest link’ in China’s recovery | Naomi Xu Elegant | September 15, 2020 | FortuneWithout a vaccine readily available, it has been challenging to get people to engage in enough of the behaviors that can help slow the virus.
Why Coming Up With Effective Interventions To Address COVID-19 Is So Hard | Neil Lewis Jr. (nlewisjr@cornell.edu) | September 14, 2020 | FiveThirtyEight
Back in New York, the slow pace and inward focus of her yoga practice was less fulfilling.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze | Lizzie Crocker | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTFirst, as opposition to gay marriage collapses, American anti-LGBT activists will slow their battle against it.
“The process of getting the approval is too slow and is too cumbersome,” Rogers said.
ISIS Fight Has a Spy Shortage, Intel Chair Says | Kimberly Dozier | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST“Personal hotspots can get speeds of up to 60 Mb/s down, whereas hotel Wi-Fi can be as slow as 1.5 Mb/s,” Sesar said.
How ‘Ethical’ Hotel Chain Marriott Gouges Guests in the Name of Wi-Fi Security | Kyle Chayka | December 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTOne of the honor guard approached with slow, measured steps and presented the flag to a uniformed captain.
Choking Back Tears, Thousands of Cops Honor Fallen Officer Ramos | Michael Daly | December 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“The sepoys have come in from Meerut,” he announced with the slow tick of the earliest form of apparatus.
The Red Year | Louis TracyIt is not surprising after this to learn that some children are slow in seizing the representative character of acting.
Children's Ways | James SullyAnd he was not slow to notice that his visitor looked fatter each time he saw him.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole | Arthur Scott BaileyThis is a slow process, but earnest hearts and united minds will render it a sure one.
Glances at Europe | Horace GreeleyI believe so, and I make it a point both with my pupils and myself to practice slow motions.
Music-Study in Germany | Amy Fay
British Dictionary definitions for slow
/ (sləʊ) /
performed or occurring during a comparatively long interval of time
lasting a comparatively long time: a slow journey
characterized by lack of speed: a slow walker
(prenominal) adapted to or productive of slow movement: the slow lane of a motorway
(of a clock, etc) indicating a time earlier than the correct time
given to or characterized by a leisurely or lazy existence: a slow town
not readily responsive to stimulation; intellectually unreceptive: a slow mind
dull or uninteresting: the play was very slow
not easily aroused: a slow temperament
lacking promptness or immediacy: a slow answer
unwilling to perform an action or enter into a state: slow to anger
behind the times
(of trade, etc) unproductive; slack
(of a fire) burning weakly
(of an oven) cool
photog requiring a relatively long time of exposure to produce a given density: a slow lens
sport (of a track, etc) tending to reduce the speed of the ball or the competitors
cricket (of a bowler, etc) delivering the ball slowly, usually with spin
in a manner characterized by lack of speed; slowly
(often foll by up or down) to decrease or cause to decrease in speed, efficiency, etc
Origin of slow
1Derived forms of slow
- slowly, adverb
- slowness, noun
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with slow
In addition to the idioms beginning with slow
- slow burn
- slow but sure
- slow down
- slow on the uptake
- slow up
also see:
- mills of the gods grind slowly
- on the uptake, slow
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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