slowly

adverb

slow·​ly ˈslō-lē 

: in a slow manner : not quickly, fast, early, rashly, or readily

Slow vs. Slowly: Usage Guide

Some commentators claim that careful writers avoid the adverb slow, in spite of the fact that it has had over four centuries of usage.

have a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower

—William Shakespeare

In actual practice, slow and slowly are not used in quite the same way. Slow is almost always used with verbs that denote movement or action, and it regularly follows the verb it modifies.

beans … are best cooked long and slow

—Louise Prothro

Slowly is used before the verb

a sense of outrage, which slowly changed to shame

—Paul Horgan

and with participial adjectives.

a slowly dawning awareness … of the problem

—Amer. Labor

Slowly is used after verbs where slow might also be used

burn slow or slowly

and after verbs where slow would be unidiomatic.

the leadership turned slowly toward bombing as a means of striking back

—David Halberstam

Synonyms of slowly

• cautiously
• slow
• sluggishly
• carefully

Examples of slowly in a Sentence

Things are slowly getting better.

walked slowly toward the ringing phone

Recent Examples on the Web

For months, doctors warned her to avoid crowds, travel and unnecessary exposure to illness while her immune system slowly rebuilt itself. —Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026

The report suggests that while AI may improve speed and output, many workplaces are accidentally creating environments where employees ask fewer questions, rely less on each other, and slowly lose some of the critical thinking and curiosity that organizations actually need most. —Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026

Why exactly this occurred remains a mystery—but researchers are slowly gleaning clues. —Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 22 May 2026

Away from the noise and expectations surrounding her, Maja slowly reconnects with herself and the world around her. —Leo Barraclough, Variety, 22 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing slowly

• slowly but surely

Rhymes for slowly

• coaly
• coli
• foley
• folie
• goalie
• holy
• lowly
• moly
• tolly
• wholly
• acholi
• emboli