# snail's pace

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/snails-pace
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A frustratingly slow rate of speed.

## Examples

- The traffic is moving at a snail's pace today.
- The long line at the grocery store moves at a snail's pace.
- The download finishes at a snail's pace because the internet connection is weak.
- We waited for hours because the construction crew was working at a snail's pace.
- My old laptop loads every webpage at a snail's pace, so I usually make a cup of coffee while I wait for it to start.
- The hikers walked at a snail's pace because the trail was muddy and they did not want to slip on the wet rocks.
- I am trying to learn a new language, but my progress feels like it is moving at a snail's pace lately.
- Despite the urgency of the situation, the bureaucratic process continued at a snail's pace, leaving everyone involved in a state of deep frustration.

## Origin

A comparison derived from the observable velocity of the gastropod mollusc, which moves at a rate generally considered inconvenient for human progress. The phrase appears in Middle English by the early 15th century, formalising the animal's reputation for sluggishness into a standard metric for delay.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.