Did you know?

Click any word in a definition or example to find the entry for that word

slowly

 - definition
Close

What are red words?

90% of the time, speakers of English use just 7,500 words in speech and writing. These words appear in red, and are graded with stars. One-star words are frequent, two-star words are more frequent, and three-star words are the most frequent.

Close

Thesaurus

The thesaurus of synonyms and related words is fully integrated into the dictionary entries. Click on the T button in an entry to review the synonyms and related words for that meaning.

more
adverb American English pronunciation: slowly /ˈsloʊli/
  1. moving at a slow speed, or doing something at a slow speed

    Could you speak a little more slowly?

    We saw a group of swans swimming slowly across the lake.

    Slowly and patiently, she planted the seedlings in a neat row.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  slowlyThesaurus entry for this meaning of slowly
    1. a.
      happening or developing at a slow rate over a long period of time

      The city is slowly getting back to normal after a three-day transportation strike.

      The virus slowly weakens the patient’s immune system.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  slowlyThesaurus entry for this meaning of slowly

phrase

This is the American English definition of slowly. View British English definition of slowly.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to British English.

 

vocal fry

a speech habit in which a speaker lowers their voice at the end of a sentence

BuzzWord Article

Word of the Day Word of the Day

zeugma

the use of a word twice in the same sentence but with different meanings. The sentence ‘She...

Open Dictionary

conflict mineral

a mineral which is mined in a place where there is armed conflict, and sold to help pay for weapons

add a word

Blog

A must for anyone with an interest in the changing face of language. The Macmillan Dictionary blog explores English as it is spoken around the world today.

global English and language change from our blog