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

This figure was adjusted to account for the seasonal sales slowdown during the two-week Chinese New Year holiday, which took place mid-February. —Matthew Chin,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026

But founder Chris Leschinger has seen a slowdown. —Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026

The coalition opted to pause supply increases during the first quarter, pointing to a seasonal slowdown in fuel consumption. —Grant Smith, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026

First, famed filmmaker James Cameron endorsed Paramount, saying a Netflix takeover would lead to massive job losses in the entertainment industry, which is already reeling from a production slowdown in Southern California that has disrupted the lives of thousands of film industry workers. —Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 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