: 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
Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024
The camera has four macro shooting modes, five underwater shooting modes, and can take videos up to 20 seconds long, including slow-motion footage.
—Alesandra Dubin, Parents, 20 Mar. 2024
The tone is as susceptible to whiplash as the characterization: one episode concludes with Maxine having a conversation with a whale, while another concludes with an act of violence that leaves multiple characters screaming and crying in slow-motion.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2024
The mother of five kept the bit going, posting the video again but in slow-motion and zoomed in closer.
—Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
There’s slow-motion and speed-ramping and playing about with time in general; this show loves to cut away from a dramatic moment only to cheekily circle back later.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Feb. 2024
On Wednesday, the Avengers star, 40, posted a slow-motion video featuring his wife, Elsa Pataky, 47, swimming underwater.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2024
The cameras also have zoom and super slow-motion capabilities that could show how close a kick made it inside the uprights or straight down the middle.
—Joe Reedy, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024
In the heart of Asia, deep underground, two huge tectonic plates are crashing into each other — a violent but slow-motion bout of geological bumper cars that over time has sculpted the soaring Himalayan mountains.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 5 Feb. 2024
Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024
Image The dancers’ footwork starts out in fits and spurts, becoming more intricate, more full-bodied as Harris weaves slow motion within blissfully fast crossing feet and lanky arms.
—Gia Kourlas, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024
Their intimate moments are stretched out in slow motion, but the film always abruptly cuts away mid-tryst.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024
What happened next can only be clearly seen by watching the video in slow motion, Clarke said.
—Katie Mettler, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024
So the government, by refusing to address the mounting problem, was complicit, perhaps negligent, in the crisis unfolding now in slow motion.
—Peter Georgescu, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
In slow motion, as if moving underwater, the man’s head tilts upward.
—Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 28 Jan. 2024
Since his incarceration in early 2021, Mr. Navalny, Russia’s most formidable opposition figure, and his staff regularly suggested his conditions were so grim that he was being put to death in slow motion.
—Ivan Nechepurenko, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2024
Silverman tells the excited pup before showing the pet's feat in slow motion.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 9 Feb. 2024
Adjective
On Wednesday, April 10, the 34-year-old posted a funny TikTok video of her and Alayna greeting each other in a slow-motion hug.
—Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024
The camera has four macro shooting modes, five underwater shooting modes, and can take videos up to 20 seconds long, including slow-motion footage.
—Alesandra Dubin, Parents, 20 Mar. 2024
The tone is as susceptible to whiplash as the characterization: one episode concludes with Maxine having a conversation with a whale, while another concludes with an act of violence that leaves multiple characters screaming and crying in slow-motion.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2024
The mother of five kept the bit going, posting the video again but in slow-motion and zoomed in closer.
—Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
There’s slow-motion and speed-ramping and playing about with time in general; this show loves to cut away from a dramatic moment only to cheekily circle back later.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Feb. 2024
On Wednesday, the Avengers star, 40, posted a slow-motion video featuring his wife, Elsa Pataky, 47, swimming underwater.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2024
The cameras also have zoom and super slow-motion capabilities that could show how close a kick made it inside the uprights or straight down the middle.
—Joe Reedy, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024
In the heart of Asia, deep underground, two huge tectonic plates are crashing into each other — a violent but slow-motion bout of geological bumper cars that over time has sculpted the soaring Himalayan mountains.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 5 Feb. 2024
Noun
The Hornets didn’t push the pace in transition or pressure the ball defensively, looked to be running their half-court offense in slow motion, and often settled for jump shots.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024
Image The dancers’ footwork starts out in fits and spurts, becoming more intricate, more full-bodied as Harris weaves slow motion within blissfully fast crossing feet and lanky arms.
—Gia Kourlas, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024
Their intimate moments are stretched out in slow motion, but the film always abruptly cuts away mid-tryst.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024
What happened next can only be clearly seen by watching the video in slow motion, Clarke said.
—Katie Mettler, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024
So the government, by refusing to address the mounting problem, was complicit, perhaps negligent, in the crisis unfolding now in slow motion.
—Peter Georgescu, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
In slow motion, as if moving underwater, the man’s head tilts upward.
—Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 28 Jan. 2024
Since his incarceration in early 2021, Mr. Navalny, Russia’s most formidable opposition figure, and his staff regularly suggested his conditions were so grim that he was being put to death in slow motion.
—Ivan Nechepurenko, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2024
Silverman tells the excited pup before showing the pet's feat in slow motion.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 9 Feb. 2024
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 19 Apr. 2024.
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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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