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slowly

slowly

1.0
At a low speed without hurrying
  • adverb
  • /ˈsloʊli/
translation icon : lentamente
  • The turtle moved slowly across the road.
  • speak slowly
  • move slowly
  • more slowly

And so her her posse moves slowly through the room.

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Examples

  • So work slowly and add a bit at a time.

  • As cats age, they move more slowly and become companionable and tactilely satisfying.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Now let's go ahead and slowly apply some pressure to this.

  • So it's going down like this, but slowly, and it's stable.

  • And that means once people start selling, you could slowly trend down.

  • Student 1: Stand up, move around, look at the students, and slowly present each slide.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Now as you start pulling back slowly, paint will come out.

  • I'll close my eyes, and count up to 20 slowly.

  • So I think you can slowly withdraw the sugar from your diet.

  • Not since the Great Depression three generations ago has recovery come so slowly after an economic crisis.

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

gradually
vsslowly
273 1.9

Slowly and steadily over time

describes low speed rather than emphasizing steady development
steadily
vsslowly
129 2.1

In a regular way without stopping

refers to low speed rather than ongoing regularity
little by little
vsslowly
  • Informal
34 2.3

Gradually in small amounts over time

is the general low speed sense without focus on small steps
bit by bit
vsslowly
  • Informal
12 2.7

A little at a time

highlights plain low speed not emphasis on stages
slow
vsslowly
  • Informal
8 1.0

At a low speed

is the neutral adverb used across formal and informal contexts
inch by inch
vsslowly
7 3.7

Move forward slowly in very small steps

expresses low speed generally rather than tiny stepwise motion
at a snail's pace
vsslowly
  • Informal
3 3.8

Very slowly, much slower than usual

is the ordinary low speed sense without idiomatic emphasis
unhurriedly
vsslowly
1 3.6

To do something in a slow, calm way without hurry

is the simple low speed sense without extra calm tone
glacially
vsslowly
1 7.4

Very slowly, like the movement of a large mass of ice

means low speed but is less extreme and more common

Antonyms

1.0

At a fast speed or without delay

446 1.4

In a very short time

Idioms

Act quickly but carefully to avoid mistakes

How Fast

quickly
1.0
steadily
129 2.1
slowly
1.0
leisurely
30 3.4

Surface Forms

slowly positive

Morphology

slowly = slow (transparent) = slow + ly

Formed by the regular adverbial suffix '-ly' from the adjective 'slow'; meaning is directly 'in a slow manner' and is obvious to learners.

Etymology

The word slowly comes from an old English word slow which meant 'not fast' or 'sluggish'. So, to do something slowly is to do it at a low speed or 'little by little'.