: of, relating to, or being motion-picture or video photography in which the action that has been photographed is made to appear to occur slower than it actually occurred
a slow-motion replay
also
: slowly moving
a slow-motion dance
: slow-motion photography
Examples of slow-motion in a Sentence
Noun
The scene was shot in slow motion.
They showed the goal in slow motion.
Recent Examples on the Web
Joel Khalili, WIRED, 7 Sep. 2023
While the narrative pacing realistically reflects the agonizing sense of slow-motion stress experienced by the characters involved, the wardrobe, camera and lighting play around with a couple of counterintuitive creative gambits.
—Catherine Bray, Variety, 6 Sep. 2023
Ripa and Consuelos, both 52, even show off their dancing skills in the new opening, with Ripa twirling into her husband during a slow-motion shot.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 1 Sep. 2023
The music video glorifies the firebrand with dry ice, slow-motion shots, and red lighting.
—Heather Hunter, Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2023
Every episode of House Hunters is a slow-motion, just barely subtextual fight between the couple at its center.
—Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 24 Aug. 2023
The process through which the two choreographers created the slow-motion passage, trading phrases and then shaping them together, is a perfect example of the fluidity of their collaboration.
—Marina Harss, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2023
There was a slow-motion video camera—similar to the ones used at the Oscars—for posing and a strolling band who, after the cocktail hour, led everyone to the tent for dinner.
—Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2023
The crowd groaned as slow-motion replays on the stadium screens showed the incident, and, after a delay of several minutes, the yellow card was upgraded to red.
—John Pye, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2023
David Streit, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2023
Stars of the Lid’s debut album oozes stealthily into earshot, with drones suffusing the stereo field like an octopus’ ink spreading out in slow motion.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 28 Aug. 2023
Gracefully walking in slow motion on a diagonal, their faces and chests are bathed in a soft yellow light, as if morning were dawning.
—Catherine Tharin, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Aug. 2023
Sam Lipman-Stern Photo: HBO Journalism has been called history in a hurry; documentaries have been called news in slow motion.
—John Anderson, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2023
The post includes a shot of Blue Ivy on stage and two short video clips in slow motion of Blue Ivy hitting her choreography.
—Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 30 May 2023
With the muzzle on him, all seemed to be in slow motion.
—Russell Worth Parker, Outdoor Life, 11 May 2023
Watching Ye is like watching a car crash in slow motion.
—Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2023
When the group meets Kat’s fiancé (Desmond Chiam) and takes in the hunky, shirtless virgin in sultry slow motion, the look of confusion on Deadeye’s face is priceless.
—Olivia McCormack, Washington Post, 5 July 2023
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Adjective
For Evelyn, looking back on her interactions with Bruce is like watching a slow-motion car crash.
—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 7 Sep. 2023
While the narrative pacing realistically reflects the agonizing sense of slow-motion stress experienced by the characters involved, the wardrobe, camera and lighting play around with a couple of counterintuitive creative gambits.
—Catherine Bray, Variety, 6 Sep. 2023
Ripa and Consuelos, both 52, even show off their dancing skills in the new opening, with Ripa twirling into her husband during a slow-motion shot.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 1 Sep. 2023
The music video glorifies the firebrand with dry ice, slow-motion shots, and red lighting.
—Heather Hunter, Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2023
Every episode of House Hunters is a slow-motion, just barely subtextual fight between the couple at its center.
—Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 24 Aug. 2023
The process through which the two choreographers created the slow-motion passage, trading phrases and then shaping them together, is a perfect example of the fluidity of their collaboration.
—Marina Harss, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2023
There was a slow-motion video camera—similar to the ones used at the Oscars—for posing and a strolling band who, after the cocktail hour, led everyone to the tent for dinner.
—Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2023
The crowd groaned as slow-motion replays on the stadium screens showed the incident, and, after a delay of several minutes, the yellow card was upgraded to red.
—John Pye, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2023
Noun
Highs: 88-92 Forecast in detail The relief from this heat wave arrives in slow motion with today still a scorcher and temperatures only slipping back to seasonable lower 80s on the weekend.
—David Streit, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2023
Stars of the Lid’s debut album oozes stealthily into earshot, with drones suffusing the stereo field like an octopus’ ink spreading out in slow motion.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 28 Aug. 2023
Gracefully walking in slow motion on a diagonal, their faces and chests are bathed in a soft yellow light, as if morning were dawning.
—Catherine Tharin, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Aug. 2023
Sam Lipman-Stern Photo: HBO Journalism has been called history in a hurry; documentaries have been called news in slow motion.
—John Anderson, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2023
The post includes a shot of Blue Ivy on stage and two short video clips in slow motion of Blue Ivy hitting her choreography.
—Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 30 May 2023
With the muzzle on him, all seemed to be in slow motion.
—Russell Worth Parker, Outdoor Life, 11 May 2023
Watching Ye is like watching a car crash in slow motion.
—Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2023
When the group meets Kat’s fiancé (Desmond Chiam) and takes in the hunky, shirtless virgin in sultry slow motion, the look of confusion on Deadeye’s face is priceless.
—Olivia McCormack, Washington Post, 5 July 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slow-motion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near slow-motion
Cite this Entry
“Slow-motion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slow-motion. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
slow motion
noun
: action in a film or television picture apparently taking place more slowly than it actually occurred
slow-motion
adjective
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