SLUGGISHLY Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

sluggishly

adverb

Definition of sluggishly

as in slowly

at a pace that is less than usual, desirable, or expected the car responds sluggishly until it warms up

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Recent Examples of sluggishly Hayes’ 3-pointer from the midcourt logo to end the first quarter keyed the Valkyries’ 24-9 second-quarter surge and enlivened a Golden State group that had started the game sluggishly. — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026 Verstappen qualified second but stalled at the start, falling to last place as his car moved sluggishly. — Sahil Kapur, NBC news, 7 June 2026 The Knicks came out of halftime sluggishly, falling behind by 13 points in the third quarter. — Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026 Voters, meanwhile, continued to respond somewhat sluggishly to the race, with early ballot returns slow particularly among Democrats, The Sacramento Bee reported Monday. — Andrew Graham june 1, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026 Ratcliffe attended that loss to Leeds at Old Trafford, a display which started sluggishly and drew criticism for Carrick over his substitutions. — Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 24 May 2026 Trump has repeatedly declared victory in the war with Iran as peace talks and nuclear negotiations move sluggishly, claiming the country’s military assets have been destroyed. — Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 Polaritons move relatively sluggishly—around 100 times slower than the speed of light. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 30 Apr. 2026 Lincoln-Way East started sluggishly, to say the least, and trailed 7-4 after one quarter before Brown entered the game and scored seven points in the second quarter. — Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sluggishly

slowly

Adverb

The first is to gain altitude slowly and give yourself time to acclimatize.

— Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026
Sebalt said funding for plumbing, sewage and enough street light poles for others to move in was sourced in small chunks and much too slowly.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of slowly

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sluggish

sluggishly

sluggishness

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“Sluggishly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sluggishly. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of sluggishly

adverb

Example Sentences

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