snail's pace

American  

noun

1. an extremely slow rate.

   The work progresses at a snail's pace.

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snail's pace British  

noun

1. a very slow or sluggish speed or rate

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snail's pace Idioms  

1. A very slow pace, as in They're making progress with testing the new vaccine, but at a snail's pace. [c. 1400]

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Etymology

Origin of snail's pace

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

snail's pace

If they are, they are doing it at a snail's pace.

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2025

What stands out, however, was how the prosecution moved at a snail’s pace, facilitated by U.S.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2025

Disaster was averted thanks to a defense that stiffened and an offense that started moving the ball at something beyond a snail’s pace.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2024

The railway line, China’s flagship infrastructure project in the region, has been snarled by regulatory and other issues and progressed at a snail’s pace during five years of work.

From New York Times ● May 9, 2024

Moving at the snail’s pace that is the norm above 26,000 feet, the throng labored up the Hillary Step one by one, while I nervously bided my time.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer