slowly
gb/slˈoʊli/ us/slˈoʊli/
A1
English
~ 1300
Senses
0 senses
adverb
A1
property
1
At a low speed
Moving or happening at a speed that is not fast.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] moves slowly
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'slowly' with 'slow' when used as an adverb. 'He runs slow' is non-standard in formal English; correct form is 'He runs slowly'.
Synonyms
gradually (Emphasizes a slow change or progression over time rather than low speed at a moment.)
Antonyms
quickly (Describes doing something with high speed, the opposite of slow movement.)
Collocations
move slowly
|walk slowly
|drive slowly
|speak slowly
|slowly but surely
Themes
daily life
|movement
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The old man walked slowly along the path.
- Please drive slowly in the school zone.
- She spoke slowly so everyone could understand.
- The clock seemed to move slowly during the boring lecture.
- He slowly opened the letter.
Learner examples
- The cat walks slowly.
- Please speak slowly.
- He drives slowly in the rain.
- We move slowly up the hill.
- The turtle moves slowly.
Grammar
Dictionary form
slowly
IPA
GB/slˈoʊli/
US/slˈoʊli/
Syllables & stress
slowly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (slowly)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: slowly
- Plural: slowlies
Word family
Expressions
slowly but surely
1/slˈoʊli bˈʌt ʃˈʊɹli/
fixed phrase
Steady progress despite slowness
Happening without stopping, even if it is not fast.
Examples
- Slowly but surely, the team improved their performance.
- The project is moving forward, slowly but surely.