slowly

adverb

slow·ly | \ ˈslō-lē

Definition of slowly

: in a slow manner : not quickly, fast, early, rashly, or readily

Synonyms & Antonyms Slow vs. Slowly: Usage Guide Example Sentences Learn More about slowly

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Slow vs. Slowly: Usage Guide

Some commentators claim that careful writers avoid the adverb slow, in spite of the fact that it has had over four centuries of usage. have a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower — William Shakespeare In actual practice, slow and slowly are not used in quite the same way. Slow is almost always used with verbs that denote movement or action, and it regularly follows the verb it modifies. beans … are best cooked long and slow — Louise Prothro Slowly is used before the verb a sense of outrage, which slowly changed to shame — Paul Horgan and with participial adjectives. a slowly dawning awareness … of the problem — Amer. Labor Slowly is used after verbs where slow might also be used burn slow or slowly and after verbs where slow would be unidiomatic. the leadership turned slowly toward bombing as a means of striking back — David Halberstam

Examples of slowly in a Sentence

Things are slowly getting better. walked slowly toward the ringing phone

Recent Examples on the Web

Mullins, the Opening Day starter who started slowly upon his second demotion to Double-A Bowie, is batting .279 with a .785 OPS in August. — Jon Meoli, baltimoresun.com, "Orioles summon three to begin September call-ups early; Brandon Hyde breaks down who could join team this week," 31 Aug. 2019 Approvals under the new restrictions are slowly starting to happen. — Jane Li, Quartz, "A deepening trade quarrel between Japan and South Korea is rattling smartphone makers," 26 Aug. 2019 One of the challenges facing anti-vaping advocates is that science progresses slowly, and e-cigarettes can be difficult to study. — Sara Harrison, WIRED, "Vaping May Have Killed Someone, Health Officials Say," 23 Aug. 2019 But slowly, if not so surely, a transformation begins. — Kathryn Shattuck, New York Times, "Jillian Bell on ‘Brittany Runs a Marathon’ and Chasing Down Roles," 23 Aug. 2019 This effectively redirects an incoming fluid flow, such that waves in shallower regions propagate more slowly, ultimately leaving the center of the tank free of waves entirely. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Novel “invisibility cloaks” for water waves leave no telltale wakes or drag," 13 Aug. 2019 But slowly, backers like Tschiltsch started to lose faith. — Adi Robertson, The Verge, "The crowdfunded phone of the future was a multimillion-dollar scam," 13 Aug. 2019 The next step is to slowly start replacing your products with sustainable alternatives. — Olivia Fleming, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Problem with Beauty Packaging," 12 Aug. 2019 Haidilao These Chinese chains started the move to the U.S. slowly, beginning with Hai Di Lao’s arrival in Arcadia, Calif., in 2013. — Naomi Tomky, Fortune, "High-End Hot Pot Heats Up in the U.S.," 11 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'slowly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for slowly

slowly

adverb

English Language Learners Definition of slowly

: in a slow way or at a low speed

See the full definition for slowly in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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slowly

Definition of slowly

Synonyms & Antonyms for slowly

Slow vs. Slowly: Usage Guide

Examples of slowly in a Sentence

First Known Use of slowly

English Language Learners Definition of slowly

slowly

Definition of slowly

Synonyms & Antonyms for slowly

Slow vs. Slowly: Usage Guide

Examples of slowly in a Sentence

First Known Use of slowly

English Language Learners Definition of slowly

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