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slow (down) 1 of 2

verb

Definition of slow (down)next
as in to die (down)

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slowdown

2 of 2

noun

ˈslō-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce slowdown (audio)
as in decline
a usually gradual decrease in the pace or level of activity of something disease experts are encouraged by the recent slowdown in the spread of the virus

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 (down)
Noun
Now Wall Street is weighing what a potential slowdown in model development could mean across the industry. — Seema Mody, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026 Altman said the company was in favor of coordinating an industry-wide slowdown in the pace of AI development with bitter rivals, including Anthropic and SpaceX, as well as Google DeepMind, Meta, and perhaps others. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026 Researchers have called for a slowdown of AI development and warned for years that the technology could pose existential risks to humanity. — ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026 Risks of a slowdown in AI frontier development threaten the technology’s investment case, according to Neil Wilson, UK strategist at investment bank Saxo. — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slow (down)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slow (down)
  1. weaken
  2. decline
  3. slacken
  4. deceleration
  5. flag
  6. slump
  7. taper off
  8. drop
Verb
  • People familiar with the deliberations said lawmakers worried the requirements would raise drug prices and weaken national security by revealing the precise locations where lifesaving medications are made.
    — Naisha Roy, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Macron warned that the attacks would not go unanswered and accused Moscow of trying to intimidate Europeans into weakening their support for Ukraine.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of weaken
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the share of China’s car market that is occupied by foreign brands is in steep decline.
    — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2026
  • That damage can affect circulation and increase the risk of stroke and other changes associated with cognitive decline.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of decline
Verb
  • His power slackened in 2025 before a slight resurgence this season.
    — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • During an El Niño, those winds slacken, and the warm water slides eastward, leading to waters becoming generally one to two degrees Celsius above normal in the area around the Galápagos.
    — Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of slacken
Noun
  • Regenerative braking and deceleration also convert kinetic energy into driving range for the Prius by feeding its self-charging hybrid battery.
    — Charles Singh, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The beds can contain hundreds of blocks laid out in a grid, growing progressively deeper so an aircraft slows without subjecting the landing gear — or the people aboard — to extreme deceleration forces that can be deadly in a crash.
    — Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of deceleration
Verb
  • When Merz became chancellor early last year, many Germans saw him, above all else, as someone who could help revive the flagging economy.
    — Anna Noryskiewicz, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Proenza goes 5 yards for the first down but SHS is flagged for a personal foul.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of flag
Noun
  • Thanks to the boom in digital check-outs, commercial markets are seeing a slump.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 14 Sep. 2026
  • In the bigger picture, the concern is whether Maye’s four-game playoff slump from last season is carrying over into 2026.
    — Chad Graff, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of slump
Verb
  • As the rains tapered off and the skies cleared, Paterson's annual Dominican parade stepped off Sunday afternoon, though with a slight delay.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2026
  • However, Brissett's play tapered off after he was hobbled by a knee injury.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of taper off
Noun
  • Citibank attributed Wednesday's more than 6% drop to Mercari's announcement of the Pokémon card listing restrictions.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Atomic energy, the piece noted, held enough power in a drop of water to run 500 locomotives for an hour.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of drop

Browse Nearby Words

slow burn
slow (down)
slowdown
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Cite this Entry

“Slow (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slow%20%28down%29. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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