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

If anything, the halal cart and newsstand guys say business has been a bit slower than normal, though standard for a festive weekend. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 4 July 2026 Steam rises in slow curls from a shaping stand while local kids climb onto high-top chairs and a Coors Light is passed between old friends across the counter. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2026

Verb

Rather than designing a luxury escape filled with domestic gadgets, the architects have shaped a home that encourages slowing down and reconnecting with nature. — Bridget Borgobello july 03, New Atlas, 4 July 2026 The likely rationale, Talley said, was to let a president act decisively in a crisis without conflict-of-interest reviews slowing him down. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 July 2026

Adverb

After starting slow, Salah came on near the end of regulation and extra time, helping set up multiple opportunities for Egypt before the game headed to penalty kicks. — Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 July 2026 Seffrin and his team note that their study suggests that men might be able to thwart bonking by running slower in the first half of a marathon and getting continually faster as the race progresses, a pacing strategy known as negative splitting. — Claire Maldarelli, Scientific American, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for slow

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slow

Adjective

Mondays have $5 martinis, mules and margaritas, Fridays and Saturdays are for boogying upstairs and the patio at Metro is an any-day spot for a leisurely drink or three.

— Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 30 June 2026
That was when the lensman captured the social set at their leisurely and often strikingly dressed best.

— Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 26 June 2026

Definition of leisurely

Adjective

Unlike much of the group stage, Sunday’s game was a sloppy, sleepy affair, with South Africa relying on some heroic play from its back line to keep the game even.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026
The phone achieved download speeds of 463Mbps and upload speeds of 39Mbps in 5G testing in sleepy suburban areas.

— Florence Ion, PC Magazine, 27 June 2026

Definition of sleepy

Adjective

Far fewer people stay responsible when the work turns boring, unclear or inconvenient, and that's precisely when ownership surfaces.

— Somdutta Singh, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Monocultures can be boring, but on the flipside, a huge collection of individual species looks like a busy bowl of potpourri.

— Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2026

Definition of boring

Verb

The system uses a three-level braking architecture that combines retarder braking, electric braking, and mechanical braking to improve safety during operation under demanding mining conditions.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
If modern vehicles are so reliant on software for everything from displaying driving speeds to braking in some models, free OTA software updates could save drivers the hassle of bringing their cars into an authorized dealer for repairs.

— Charles Singh, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Definition of brake

Adverb

Bell’s letter to James and New York MFCU Director Amy Held argues that the unit is moving too slowly on cases and amassing too few indictments and convictions for wrongdoing in the Medicaid system.

— Ali Swenson, Fortune, 2 July 2026
Manganese atoms slowly take the place of some iron, creating a uniform LMFP structure.

— Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026

Definition of slowly

Adjective

Many competitors often report feeling sluggish, sleepy, or uncomfortable afterward.

— Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Merz’s coalition of center-right and center-left parties took office just over a year ago with pledges to reform and turn around Germany’s sluggish economy, Europe’s biggest.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026

Definition of sluggish

Browse Nearby Words

slovens

slow

slow burn

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“Slow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slow. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of slow

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adjective

verb

adverb

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More from Merriam-Webster on slow

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