slow and steady wins the race

idiom

Meaning

Reliability is more important than speed

Origin

first recorded 18th c. disputed origin

The moral of Aesop's fable 'The Tortoise and the Hare'; this English phrasing comes from Robert Lloyd's 1762 poem 'The Hare and the Tortoise'.

Examples

SIMPLE

I take my time because slow and steady wins the race.

CONTEXTUAL

You should not rush your homework; remember that slow and steady wins the race if you want a good grade.

COMPLEX

While his competitors burned out by working through the night, his consistent and careful approach proved that slow and steady wins the race in the long run.

Last updated June 7, 2026