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

Tech stocks bore the brunt, but almost no equities were spared as fears of an AI slowdown gripped investors and sent them rushing to safety. — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2026

The fresh jobs data, meanwhile, arrived at a delicate moment for the Federal Reserve, where policymakers are weighing a rate increase that could help tackle inflation but risks a slowdown in hiring. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2026

Jim apologized for not fully recognizing how the CPU renaissance could be derailed by a PC slowdown and a factory fire. — Alexa Lomonaco,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026

That doesn’t mean the data center buildout will grind to a halt, but markets are pricing in a slowdown. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 5 Nov. 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