slowly but surely

idiom

: by making slow but definite progress
used to stress that something is happening or being done even though it is not happening or being done quickly
We're getting the work done, slowly but surely.

Examples of slowly but surely in a Sentence

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Yet fortunes have turned more recently, with on-field inadequacies slowly but surely eating into off-field resources. Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026 With their blend of traditional Colombian rhythms — namely cumbia, played with traditional percussion and flute — as well as Latin jazz influences and a dynamic live presence, Rebolú has slowly but surely built their following, culminating with a Tiny Desk performance this year. Leila Cobo, Billboard, 30 Dec. 2025 People slowly but surely heading out to return to work or to wrap up the day. Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 19 Dec. 2025 That data indicates sea levels are slowly but surely rising, widely interpreted as evidence of global warming caused in large part by human industrial activity. William Harwood, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slowly but surely

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Cite this Entry

“Slowly but surely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slowly%20but%20surely. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

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