Slow down meaning
Slow down means to go or happen more slowly, or make something do this. It can also mean to become less busy and relax more.
slow somebody or something down
slow down · slowed · slowing
Slow down! You’re driving too fast.
Slow down meanings and examples
2 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Go or happen more slowly, or make something do this
slow somebody or something down
- Slow down! You’re driving too fast.
- The heavy rain slowed us down on the way home.
- Could you slow down a bit? I can’t understand you.
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2
Become less busy and relax more
slow down
- The doctor told my dad to slow down and rest more.
- After the baby came, I had to slow down at work.
- You work every weekend. Don’t you ever slow down?
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use slow down in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is slow down separable?
Slow down often has no object: The train slowed down. With an object, it is separable: slow down the car, slow the car down. With a pronoun: slow it down, slow us down.
The noun slowdown, one word, means a time when business or growth gets slower: an economic slowdown. US speakers also say slow up.
Verb tenses for slow down
| Present | I slow down · she slows down |
|---|---|
| Past | slowed down |
| Present perfect | have slowed down |
| -ing form | slowing down |
Common mistakes with slow down
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: The traffic slowed down us.
Right: The traffic slowed us down.
A pronoun goes between slow and down.
Wrong: Please speak more slow down.
Right: Please slow down.
Use slow down alone, or say speak more slowly.
Wrong: The car slowly down at the corner.
Right: The car slowed down at the corner.
Slow is the verb here. Slowly is an adverb.
Synonyms and opposites of slow down
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- brakeuse the brake to make a vehicle slower
- calm downstop being upset or excited
- wind downrelax after work, or slowly end something
Opposite
- speed upgo faster, or make something faster
- hurry updo something more quickly
Slow down quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1There’s a school here. Please ___.
Slow down means go more slowly.
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2Choose the right sentence.
The pronoun goes between slow and down.
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3“You work every weekend. You need to slow down.” What does the speaker mean?
Slow down can mean be less busy and relax more.
Find your level
The phrasal verbs test adapts as you answer, from A2 to C1, and shows which ones you miss.
- put downB1place something you are holding on a table or the floor
- take downB2remove something from a wall or a high place, or take it apart
- come downA2move down to a lower place, towards the speaker
- go downB1become lower, like a price, a number or a temperature
- turn downB2say no to an offer, an invitation or a person
- break downB2stop working, used for cars and machines
- fall downB1drop to the ground from a standing position
- cut downB1eat, drink or use less of something
Slow down FAQ
Questions people ask about slow down.
Slow down vs slow up: what is the difference?
Both mean go slower. Slow up is less common and mostly American. Slow down is right everywhere.
What is a slowdown?
A slowdown is a time when something grows or moves more slowly, often the economy. There was a slowdown in sales in May.
Is slow down rude?
Slow down! can sound like an order. In a conversation, say Sorry, could you speak a bit more slowly?
Use slow down in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.