slowdown
Americannoun
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a slowing down or delay in progress, action, etc.
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a deliberate slowing of pace by workers to win demands from their employers.
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Sports. a holding or passing tactic by a team to retain possession of the ball, puck, etc., or use up a maximal amount of time, as to safeguard a lead or thwart a high-scoring opponent.
noun
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the usual US and Canadian word for go-slow
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any slackening of pace
Etymology
Origin of slowdown
First recorded in 1895–1900; noun use of verb phrase slow down
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But he added: "This hike is not necessary; the ECB could wait, especially since the slowdown in growth is clear."
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
The key: neither the chip companies nor their data center customers have given any indication of a slowdown in spending growth.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
“We had a slowdown in labor demand, and now it’s picked up again,” said Guy Berger, a labor economist and senior fellow at the Burning Glass Institute.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
Just as it’s hard to prove a direct link between the job-market slowdown and AI, it’s a stretch to credit AI for the U.S. economy’s increase in productivity.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026
The packinghouse foremen made it quite clear that the prior day’s riot did not merit any discussion or work slowdown.
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
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.
