: in a slow manner : not quickly, fast, early, rashly, or readily
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
Cite this Entry
“Slowly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slowly. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.
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