What does slow mean?
“Slow” describes something that moves, operates, or progresses at a low rate of speed, and it can also mean that something takes a long time. The word applies widely: a vehicle may be slow, a change may be slow, or a person may be slow to understand, respond, or make a decision. Its tone is usually neutral, though it can imply inefficiency, delay, or caution when used of a process or person. In informal speech, “slow” can describe an informal noun meaning a person who is not quick, but “sluggish” may sound more critical and “unhurried” more approving. “Slowly” is the usual adverb, though constructions such as “drive slow” are established in informal contexts. The word is especially useful because it connects physical pace with broader ideas such as gradual progress, delayed response, and deliberate restraint.
Moving, operating, or progressing at a low speed; taking a comparatively greater amount of time.
"The film was slow and quiet, with long pauses between scenes."
When applied to a person, it can describe difficulty learning or responding; when applied to progress, it often suggests that change is occurring at an insufficient or deliberate pace.
At a slow speed or pace.
"The hikers continued slow as the path became steeper."
“Slowly” is more common in formal writing; “slow” is especially frequent in informal instructions and speech, as in “drive slow.”
To become slower or to cause something to move, operate, or progress more slowly.
"The medicine slowed the spread of the infection."
The verb can be intransitive, as in “traffic slowed,” or transitive, as in “the medicine slowed the infection.”
An informal term for a person who is slow in thought, movement, or response.
"They called him a slow, but he eventually solved the problem."
This noun is informal and can sound teasing or dismissive, depending on context.
From Old English slāw to modern “slow,” one word has carried the idea of taking your time for more than a thousand years.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does slow come from?
The adjective “slow” descends from Old English slāw, meaning “not quick,” “sluggish,” or “slow,” and the Middle English form slowe developed into the modern spelling. It belongs to a Germanic word family that includes related forms in Old Norse and continental Germanic languages. Words such as “sloth” and “sluggish” are etymologically connected through Germanic roots and related ideas of delay, laziness, and lack of quickness.
Related word forms
How slow is actually used
“Slow” is neutral in register and can describe physical movement, processes, progress, or people. “Slowly” is generally the more natural adverb, although “drive slow” is common informal usage. In the phrase “slow to respond,” the word suggests caution, delay, or reluctance rather than low physical speed.
Easily confused with slow
Slow describes a low rate of movement or progress, whereas sloth emphasizes excessive laziness or reluctance to act.