slow-walk

verb

ˈslō-ˌwȯk 

slow-walked; slow-walking; slow-walks

transitive verb

: to delay or prevent the progress of (something) by acting in a deliberately slow manner

They can still slow-walk the confirmation process, though, stretching out the Senate's consideration for each Cabinet-level pick for days, which collectively could strangle business in the chamber for months.

—Tamar Hallerman

The suit claims the university slow-walked a formal complaint filed last December, dragging out the internal investigation until some of the accused male swimmers graduated and could no longer be punished.

—Thomas J. Prohaska

slow-walking noun

The slow-walking of processing asylum claims, and the huge backlog of cases at ports of entry, are only adding to tensions in the region.

—Roberta Jacobson and Dan Restrepo

Examples of slow-walk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Gangs have increased their control of Port-au-Prince while the U.S. slow-walked its deliberations. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2025

And Xi has slow-walked a prize that Trump has long sought: a one-on-one meeting. —David Goldman, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2025

If California began slow-walking the distribution of those funds, the city could face a budget gap in fiscal 2027. —Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025

They’re both accused of slow-walking evidence in the Myles King murder case in Milton. —Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 6 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for slow-walk

• alcock
• beanstalk
• bedrock
• boardwalk
• catwalk
• cornstalk
• crosswalk
• deadlock
• feedstock
• fetlock
• flintlock
• goshawk

Kids Definition

slow–walk

verb

: to delay or prevent the progress of (something) by acting in a deliberately slow manner