Slow vs Slowly - What's the Difference?

Meaning

Pronunciation

Word Class (Adjective / Informal Adverb)

Grammar

Common Uses

Literal Meaning

Figurative Meaning

American English Usage

Typical Sentence Patterns

Common Collocations

Meaning

Pronunciation

Word Class (Adverb)

Grammar

Common Uses

Literal Meaning

Figurative Meaning

American English Usage

Typical Sentence Patterns

Common Collocations

Grammar Rules & Mechanics

Understanding the specific grammatical functions of adjectives versus adverbs is the key to never confusing 'slow' and 'slowly' again.

Expressions with "Slow"

Expressions with "Slowly"

Collocations

Idioms

Easy

1. The turtle is very slow.
2. Please walk slowly in the hallway.
3. My internet is slow today.
4. He spoke slowly so the children could understand.
5. We took a slow train to the city.
6. The clock ticked slowly in the quiet room.
7. She is a slow reader.
8. The snail moved slowly across the leaf.
9. It has been a slow day at the shop.
10. The sun slowly set in the west.
11. The slow cooker made the meat very tender.
12. I slowly opened the heavy door.
13. We were stuck behind a slow truck.
14. She slowly ate her ice cream to make it last.
15. The service at the restaurant was slow.
16. He drove slowly through the rain.
17. The slow music made me feel relaxed.
18. The leaves slowly fell to the ground.
19. I pressed the slow motion button on the remote.
20. Time passed slowly during the boring lecture.

Intermediate

1. The slow internet connection disrupted our video conference.
2. The detective slowly realized the suspect was lying.
3. We are making slow progress on the construction project due to the weather.
4. She spoke slowly and clearly during the presentation to ensure everyone understood.
5. The movie had a slow start, but the ending was thrilling.
6. The old bridge is slowly deteriorating and needs repairs.
7. He is a slow learner, but his dedication is unmatched.
8. The hikers slowly climbed the steep mountain path to conserve energy.
9. The restaurant received complaints about its slow service.
10. The medication caused the patient's heart rate to drop slowly.
11. January is typically a slow month for the retail industry.
12. The crowd gave a slow clap as the controversial speaker took the stage.
13. The dirty faucet was slowly dripping, keeping everyone awake.
14. The slow economy forced many small businesses to close.
15. Public opinion on the environmental policy is slowly changing.
16. We enjoyed a slow dance at the charity gala.
17. The ceiling fan was slowly turning, pushing the humid air around the room.
18. He plays in a slow pitch softball league every Sunday.
19. The truth about the corporate scandal was slowly emerging.
20. The slow traffic made me late for the meeting.

Advanced

1. The slow pace of bureaucratic reform frustrated the activists.
2. The orchestra conductor signaled the musicians to play slowly and with profound emotion.
3. Despite a sluggish start, the startup is slowly gaining market traction.
4. The geopolitical landscape is slowly shifting as new alliances form.
5. The philosopher was known for his slow, deliberate method of articulation.
6. The jury slowly came to the realization that the evidence was purely circumstantial.
7. The slow degradation of the historic monument prompted a massive restoration campaign.
8. The novelist slowly built tension through meticulous character development.
9. The slow but sure eradication of the disease took decades of medical research.
10. The glacier is slowly receding due to the effects of global warming.
11. The diplomat's slow response to the crisis drew criticism from the press.
12. The rare artifact was slowly extracted from the archaeological site to prevent damage.
13. The slow integration of new technology hindered the company's overall efficiency.
14. The protagonist slowly descended into madness as the isolation wore on.
15. The slow logistics chain resulted in severe supply chain bottlenecks.
16. The artist's slow brush strokes captured the delicate nuances of the light.
17. The regime is slowly losing its grip on the isolated nation.
18. The slow erosion of civil liberties went largely unnoticed by the public.
19. The therapist guided the patient to breathe slowly to manage the panic attack.
20. The committee's slow deliberation ensured that every angle was considered.

Academic

1. The researcher noted a slow decline in the cognitive function of the test subjects over a ten-year period.
2. The data indicates that the tectonic plates are shifting slowly but consistently.
3. The literature review highlights the slow evolution of feminist thought in the 20th century.
4. The control group recovered slowly compared to the group receiving the experimental drug.
5. The slow dissemination of information in the 18th century hindered revolutionary movements.
6. The sociological study explores how cultural norms slowly adapt to technological advancements.
7. The experiment demonstrates that certain chemical reactions occur slowly at room temperature.
8. The archival records slowly revealed the hidden history of the indigenous population.
9. The slow but steady accumulation of capital is fundamental to classical economic theory.
10. The professor spoke slowly to allow students to transcribe the complex mathematical formulas.
11. The ecological survey documented the slow recovery of the coral reef after the bleaching event.
12. The linguistic shifts occurred slowly over several centuries of migration.
13. The slow degradation of the radioactive isotope was measured using a mass spectrometer.
14. The peer reviewers slowly recognized the validity of the novel theoretical framework.
15. The thesis argues that the slow pace of legislative change reflects deep societal divisions.
16. The manuscript was slowly decoded by a team of expert paleographers.
17. The slow mutation rate of the virus made vaccine development more feasible.
18. The historian slowly pieced together the events leading up to the revolution.
19. The slow infiltration of groundwater into the aquifer is a natural filtering process.
20. The psychological study observes how infants slowly develop object permanence.

Business

1. The company experienced a slow quarter due to decreased consumer spending.
2. The CEO spoke slowly to emphasize the importance of the new strategic direction.
3. The software's slow processing speed frustrated the entire accounting department.
4. The startup is slowly gaining market share in a highly competitive industry.
5. We are making slow progress in our merger negotiations with the rival firm.
6. The supply chain bottleneck slowly resolved as shipping lanes reopened.
7. The slow adoption of cloud technology left the legacy business vulnerable.
8. The manager slowly realized that the marketing campaign was failing.
9. The retail store had a slow day, with only a handful of customers visiting.
10. The corporate hierarchy slowly shifted to a more decentralized structure.
11. The slow ROI on the initial investment worried the venture capitalists.
12. The trainer instructed the new hires to navigate the software slowly to avoid errors.
13. The slow turnover rate in the warehouse indicates high employee satisfaction.
14. The company's reputation slowly recovered after the public relations crisis.
15. The slow decision-making process at the executive level stifled innovation.
16. The consultants slowly chipped away at the massive debt restructuring plan.
17. The slow growth of the domestic market forced the brand to look overseas.
18. The legal team slowly reviewed the 500-page contract for liabilities.
19. The factory's slow production line was halted for immediate upgrades.
20. Customer loyalty to the brand slowly eroded after the price hikes.