SLOW Synonyms: 503 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'slow' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of slow are delay , detain , retard , and slacken . While all these words mean "to cause to be late or behind in movement or progress," slow and slacken also imply a reduction of speed, slow often suggesting deliberate intention. // medication slowed the patient's heart rate

Q: In what contexts can 'delay' take the place of 'slow'?

In some situations, the words delay and slow are roughly equivalent. However, delay implies a holding back, usually by interference, from completion or arrival. // bad weather delayed our arrival

Q: When would 'detain' be a good substitute for 'slow'?

The meanings of detain and slow largely overlap; however, detain implies a holding back beyond a reasonable or appointed time. // unexpected business had detained her

Q: Where would 'retard' be a reasonable alternative to 'slow'?

While in some cases nearly identical to slow , retard suggests reduction of speed without actual stopping. // language barriers retarded their progress

Q: When can 'slacken' be used instead of 'slow'?

The synonyms slacken and slow are sometimes interchangeable, but slacken suggests an easing up or relaxing of power or effort. // on hot days runners slacken their pace

slow 1 of 3

adjective

ˈslō

Definition of slow

as in leisurely

moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed because of the holiday, traffic to the beach was particularly slow slow readers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dumb

not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily we love our bulldog though he's a little slower than our German shepherd

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sleepy

lacking in gaiety, movement, or animation a slow day on Wall Street

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in boring

causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest the first half of the movie is slow, but then it gets exciting

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

slow

2 of 3

verb

as in to brake

to cause to move or proceed at a less rapid pace if you don't slow your delivery down a bit, your speech will be over too soon

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

slow

3 of 3

adverb

as in slowly

at a pace that is less than usual, desirable, or expected you need to go slow with this experiment, or you'll make mistakes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word slow distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of slow are delay, detain, retard, and slacken. While all these words mean "to cause to be late or behind in movement or progress," slow and slacken also imply a reduction of speed, slow often suggesting deliberate intention.

medication slowed the patient's heart rate

In what contexts can delay take the place of slow?

In some situations, the words delay and slow are roughly equivalent. However, delay implies a holding back, usually by interference, from completion or arrival.

bad weather delayed our arrival

When would detain be a good substitute for slow?

The meanings of detain and slow largely overlap; however, detain implies a holding back beyond a reasonable or appointed time.

unexpected business had detained her

Where would retard be a reasonable alternative to slow?

While in some cases nearly identical to slow, retard suggests reduction of speed without actual stopping.

language barriers retarded their progress

When can slacken be used instead of slow?

The synonyms slacken and slow are sometimes interchangeable, but slacken suggests an easing up or relaxing of power or effort.

on hot days runners slacken their pace

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of slow

Adjective

But to gaze upon those towering trees from a slow train with a stiff drink in your hand — that’s something else entirely. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Systems solutions, such as improving training, adding sufficient staff, and supporting early-career professionals, are slower to implement. — Lynne S. Moronski, STAT, 15 Oct. 2026

Verb

Three people who actively dislike each other, agreeing publicly that everyone should slow down. — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 Without those two sectors, earnings for the rest of the S & P 500 are expected to have slowed to 7% in the third quarter from 12% in the second, according to Bank of America this week. — Sarah Min, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

Adverb

The Barbie premiere took place on July 9 in Los Angeles, and less than a week later, SAG joined the WGA in its labor strikes, which slow-rolled directly into our current moment of M&A and consolidation. — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026 Cottage cheese also contains casein, a slow-digesting protein that may help keep you satisfied throughout the night. — Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slow

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slow

Adjective

Jalsa has excellent food, leisurely service, and a robot waiter of unclear utility.

— Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
The exterior is well equipped for leisurely days—including a shaded hammock, large deck, and a fire pit with Adirondack chairs beneath a string of bistro lights.

— Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of leisurely

Adjective

Wow, the brown Democratic candidate calling the white Republican candidate a dumb immigrant — California politics sure have changed!

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
His current employer is Damien Cantor, an authentically sleazy and slippery character who operates under no discernible code beyond indulging a dumb, preening narcissism.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of dumb

Adjective

The Hawkeyes were taking on (the) Ohio State University last weekend in the biggest event of the year for sleepy Iowa City, and this New Englander wanted to tailgate at a Big Ten college football game.

— Carine Hajjar, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
On the afternoon of October 3, a crowd of unhappy protesters gathered along a busy street in the heart of Huntington, New York, a sleepy suburb along the northern coast of Long Island.

— Adam B. Vary, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of sleepy

Adjective

Most impressive is its capacity to achieve the perfect balance between design and sophistication, without being uptight or boring.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026
The game was pretty boring overall, and the Seahawks looked like the significantly better team.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of boring

Verb

Happily, there is an enormous amount of suspension and braking integrity to the bike, and its suite of electronics is top-notch – cornering ABS, Traction Control, and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring system are standard.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2026
In less than 12 minutes, the Crew Dragon's velocity was reduced from 17,000 mph at the start of the descent to just 15 mph at splashdown thanks to atmospheric friction and, finally, braking provide by four large parachutes.

— CBS News, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of brake

Adverb

What changed second, more slowly, was trust, which had to be built one decision at a time.

— Ken Paskins, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
The company said a self-copying AI built on small models would spread slowly, with the number of infected devices doubling every few days, but would be hard to stamp out once loose.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of slowly

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slovens

slow

slow burn

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“Slow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slow. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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