slowly

adverb

slow·​ly ˈslō-lē 

: in a slow manner : not quickly, fast, early, rashly, or readily

Slow vs. Slowly: Usage Guide

Some commentators claim that careful writers avoid the adverb slow, in spite of the fact that it has had over four centuries of usage.

have a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower

—William Shakespeare

In actual practice, slow and slowly are not used in quite the same way. Slow is almost always used with verbs that denote movement or action, and it regularly follows the verb it modifies.

beans … are best cooked long and slow

—Louise Prothro

Slowly is used before the verb

a sense of outrage, which slowly changed to shame

—Paul Horgan

and with participial adjectives.

a slowly dawning awareness … of the problem

—Amer. Labor

Slowly is used after verbs where slow might also be used

burn slow or slowly

and after verbs where slow would be unidiomatic.

the leadership turned slowly toward bombing as a means of striking back

—David Halberstam

Synonyms of slowly

• cautiously
• slow
• sluggishly
• carefully

Examples of slowly in a Sentence

Things are slowly getting better.

walked slowly toward the ringing phone

Recent Examples on the Web

Set within a sprawling natural park, the hotel slowly emerges from the dark, its illuminated rooms stacked like glowing blocks, where floor-to-ceiling windows offer a glimpse of the elegant spaces within. —Caitlin Gunther, Travel + Leisure, 25 Dec. 2025

The science and public perception of menopause have slowly been catching up to the reality—that happened in a big way this year. —Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 25 Dec. 2025

Trump has been pushing for a deal to end the almost four-year-long war, and in recent weeks peace efforts led by Witkoff and Kushner have been slowly inching forward. —Reuters, NBC news, 25 Dec. 2025

Their stories slowly intertwine and the living nightmare fuels growing panic. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing slowly

• slowly but surely

Rhymes for slowly

• coaly
• coli
• foley
• folie
• goalie
• holy
• lowly
• moly
• tolly
• wholly
• acholi
• emboli