SLOW (DOWN) Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

slow (down) 1 of 2

verb

Definition of slow (down)

as in to die (down)

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slowdown

2 of 2

noun

ˈslō-ˌdau̇n

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

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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)

Verb

Dairy cows are producing less milk and birthing fewer or weakened calves.

— Vivian Song, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
Though Hurricane Marie continues to weaken in the southern Pacific Ocean — and is expected to remain hundreds of miles off the Southern California coastline — the region can still expect to feel some effects from the storm over the next few days.

— Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of weaken

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

Over time, without regular use, the back of the body can lose its functional capacity for deceleration, which is when chronic knee pain generally starts to show up.

— Dana Santas, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
But Delapierre was flung forwards violently by the rapid deceleration and suffered a nasty face-plant into the cockpit.

— Andrew Rice, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of deceleration

Verb

The new app notifies the victim if their stalker is within a 2km radius, flagging their precise location on a real-time map.

— Will Barker, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 2026
Together, the results suggest the test could flag cancer earlier and offer opportunities for clinicians to intervene before the disease has had a chance to spread to other organs.

— Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of flag

Noun

The head coach lauded improvements from the offensive line, said the running game got better in the second half and refused to throw receiver Romeo Doubs under the bus, noting that drops sometimes happen.

— Chad Graff, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Diamond drop earrings and rings, and a long crescent moon necklace, draped directly against her décolletage and plunging neckline.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of drop

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slow burn

slow (down)

slowdown

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“Slow (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slow%20%28down%29. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of slow (down)

verb

noun

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