slowdown

noun

slow·​down ˈslō-ˌdau̇n 

: a slowing down

a business slowdown

Synonyms of slowdown

• decline
• deceleration
• slump
• drop
• retardation

Examples of slowdown in a Sentence

The business had a slowdown after the holidays.

disease experts are encouraged by the recent slowdown in the spread of the virus

Recent Examples on the Web

The magnitude of the admissions slowdown nationwide is hard to estimate because there’s no reliable count of the number of individual programs that quietly decided, without any central administration directive, to pull back on their numbers. —Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

Conversely, economic slowdown could pressure silver more severely than gold, as industrial users might seek substitutes or reduce consumption when prices remain elevated. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026

An economic slowdown could drag all equities lower. —Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026

Bank of America said winter storms typically create a temporary drag on growth, rather than a lasting slowdown. —Helen Graham, NBC news, 26 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for slowdown

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

slowdown

noun

slow·​down ˈslō-ˌdau̇n 

: a slowing down

Legal Definition

slowdown

noun

slow·​down ˈslō-ˌdau̇n 

: a slowing down of business operations by employees