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.
“Absent a prolonged conflict leading to an economic slowdown and demand destruction, these supply responses reinforce our conviction of a broad-based recovery in upstream markets in 2027 and 2028,” Le Peuch said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
“Absent a prolonged conflict leading to an economic slowdown and demand destruction, these supply responses reinforce our conviction of a broad-based recovery in upstream markets in 2027 and 2028,” it added.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 24, 2026
France, Japan, India and the U.K. recorded a pickup in factory output, but Germany is experiencing a sharp decline in services activity and a slowdown in manufacturing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
But the company added there were supply-chain disruptions, saying its process automation and technology business “saw an overall slowdown in activity in the Middle East stemming from the conflict,” which hurt revenue.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026
By the fall of 1917, Elizebeth and William were anxious about the slowdown.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
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.
