# slow

/ˈsɫoʊ/ (US) · /slˈəʊ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/slow
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. low speed

adjective · CEFR A1

moving at a low speed or taking a long time to do something.

For teachers: moving, proceeding, or acting with low velocity; taking more time than is usual or expected.

- The traffic was very slow because of the heavy rain on the highway.
- The elderly man made slow but steady progress up the steep hill, pausing occasionally to catch his breath.

### 2. not busy

adjective · CEFR B1

having little activity or not many customers.

For teachers: characterised by a lack of business activity or social excitement.

- Tuesday is usually a slow day at the restaurant, so we close early.
- Economic growth remained slow throughout the first quarter, leading many investors to adopt a more cautious strategy.

### 3. wrong time

adjective · CEFR B1

showing a time that is earlier than the real time.

For teachers: indicating a time earlier than the correct time; used of a timepiece.

- My watch is five minutes slow, so I arrived late for the meeting.
- The station clock was notoriously slow, causing several commuters to miss their connections despite arriving on the platform on time.

### 4. intellectually limited

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

taking a long time to understand things.

For teachers: demonstrating a perceived lack of intellectual quickness or comprehension.

- He is a bit slow to catch on to jokes, but he is very kind.
- The teacher noticed that while the student was slow to grasp abstract mathematical concepts, his mechanical skills were exceptional.

Teaching tip: This sense can be offensive or derogatory; learners should use it with caution when describing people.

### 5. to reduce speed

verb · CEFR A2

to move more slowly or to make something move more slowly.

For teachers: to reduce the speed of something or to decelerate.

- You should slow down when you drive through a school zone.
- The pilot began to slow the aircraft as it approached the runway, carefully monitoring the airspeed indicators.

Usage: Often used with the particle 'down'.

### 6. slowly

adverb · CEFR A2 · Informal

at a low speed.

For teachers: at a low speed; often used in informal speech or short commands where 'slowly' might feel too formal.

- The sign on the road said 'Go Slow' because of the construction.
- Even though the instructions were complex, he told his assistant to take it slow to avoid making any costly mistakes.

### 7. a slow song

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a song with a slow tempo, often for dancing.

For teachers: a musical composition with a slow tempo, typically a ballad intended for slow dancing.

- The DJ played a few slows at the end of the wedding party.
- After an hour of high-energy tracks, the band transitioned into a series of slows to allow the guests to cool down.

## Examples

- The traffic is very slow today.
- The internet connection is so slow that I cannot download the video for our meeting.
- Economists warned that a slow recovery could lead to long-term unemployment and reduced consumer spending across the region.

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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.