slow
gb/slˈoʊ/ us/slˈoʊ/
A1
English
~ 1800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A1
property
1
Not fast in movement or action
Moving or happening at a low speed.
Usage pattern:
[something] is slow
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'slow' with 'late'. 'Slow' describes speed, not time of arrival.
Synonyms
unhurried (Implies a relaxed pace without urgency.)
Antonyms
fast (Describes high speed or quick movement, opposite of slow.)
Collocations
slow progress
|slow pace
|slow traffic
|slow growth
|slow recovery
Themes
daily life
|transport
|time
|core_vocabulary
|travel
Examples
- The bus was slow because of heavy traffic.
- Economic growth has been slow this year.
- She walked at a slow pace along the beach.
- The computer is very slow today.
- Recovery after the surgery was slow.
Learner examples
- The car is slow.
- My phone is slow today.
- He walks slow to enjoy the park.
- The train is slow this morning.
- The internet is slow here.
Verb
A2
action
2
Make something move slower
To make something go more slowly.
Usage pattern:
to slow [something] down
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes forget to use 'down' after 'slow' in phrasal form when talking about reducing speed.
Synonyms
decelerate (More formal/technical term often used in scientific or driving contexts.)
Antonyms
speed up (Means to increase speed; opposite of slow in this sense.)
Collocations
slow down
|slow traffic
|slow the process
Themes
daily life
|transport
|core_vocabulary
|transportation
Examples
- The driver slowed the car as he approached the school.
- Please slow down when you speak; I can't follow you.
- The project slowed after the funding was cut.
Learner examples
- Slow down when you drive.
- He slowed the bike before the corner.
- The rain slowed the game.
adjective
B1
property
3
Taking time to understand or respond
Needing more time than others to think or understand.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is slow to [verb]
Common mistake:
Learners may misuse this sense in a way that sounds insulting; context and tone matter.
Synonyms
unresponsive (Implies not reacting quickly, though can be more extreme than 'slow'.)
Antonyms
quick-witted (Able to think and respond quickly, opposite of mentally slow.)
Collocations
slow learner
|slow to respond
Themes
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He's a bit slow to understand new technology.
- I was slow to realize what she meant.
- Some students are slow learners but still succeed.
Learner examples
- She is slow to answer questions.
- He is a slow learner.
- I am slow to understand this topic.
adjective
B2
property
4
Having low sensitivity to light (photography)
In photography, needing more light to make a picture.
Synonyms
low-speed (Technical term for film or shutter settings requiring more light.)
Antonyms
fast (film) (Film or settings that need less light; opposite of slow in photography.)
Collocations
slow shutter speed
|slow film
Themes
photography
|technology
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- Use a slow shutter speed for low-light scenes.
- Slow film gives finer grain but needs more light.
- Photographers often use a tripod with slow exposures.
Learner examples
- I used a slow shutter speed for this photo.
- Slow film needs more light.
- A tripod helps with slow photos.
Grammar
Dictionary form
slow
IPA
GB/slˈoʊ/
US/slˈoʊ/
Syllables & stress
slow (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (slow)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: slow
- Comparative: slower
- Superlative: slowest
Verb
- Base: slow
- 3rd Person Singular: slows
- Present Participle: slowing
- Past: slowed
Word family
Forms
slows
verb
slowing
verb
slowed
verb
slower
adjective
slowest
adjective
Core family
slowly
adverb A1
slowness
noun
Related words
slowdown
noun
sluggish
adjective
sluggishly
adverb
Advanced or less common
sluggishness
noun
Expressions
in the slow lane
1/ˈɪn ðə slˈoʊ lˈeɪn/
idiom
informal
Living or working at a slower pace than others
Living or working more slowly than other people around you.
Examples
- Since retiring, they’ve been living in the slow lane.
- I feel like I’m stuck in the slow lane at work.
on the slow side
1/ˈɔn ðə slˈoʊ sˈaɪd/
idiom
informal
A bit slower than usual or expected
A little slower than normal or wanted.
Examples
- The service here is on the slow side today.
- He’s on the slow side when it comes to learning new software.
slow down
1/slˈoʊ dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
Reduce speed or activity level
To go slower or make something go slower.
Examples
- You should slow down when driving in the rain.
- Production slowed down after the strike.
take it slow
1/tˈeɪk ˈɪt slˈoʊ/
idiom
informal
Proceed carefully and without hurry
To do something slowly and carefully, without rushing.
Examples
- Let's take it slow and not make mistakes.
- We decided to take it slow in our relationship.