Ever feel like your language is stuck in neutral? The word “slow” gets the point across, but it’s a verbal flat tire that leaves your conversations dragging.
This article is your speed boost for a dull vocabulary. We’re diving into the essential Idioms for Slow, the colorful expressions that native speakers use to describe everything from a lazy afternoon to a snail ‘pace commute. By mastering these idioms, you can stop just describing and start painting a picture with your words. It’s time to move your English into the fast lane.
Best Idioms for Slow
1. Slow as Molasses
Meaning: Extremely slow, like the thick flow of molasses syrup.
In a Sentence:
The traffic was slow as molasses during rush hour.
Her progress on the project was slow as molasses.
Other Ways to Say: Painfully slow, Sluggish, Like syrup
2. At a Snail’s Pace
Meaning: Moving very slowly, like a snail.
In a Sentence:
The repairs are moving at a snail’s pace.
He walked at a snail’s pace, taking in the view.
Other Ways to Say: Slowly crawling, Inch by inch, Barely moving
3. Molasses in January
Meaning: Extremely slow, like molasses flowing in cold January weather.
In a Sentence:
The bureaucracy moves like molasses in January.
Her decision-making was like molasses in January.
Other Ways to Say: Glacially slow, Terribly sluggish, Painfully delayed
4. Slow but Sure
Meaning: Making steady but gradual progress.
In a Sentence:
She’s slow but sure in mastering the skill.
His approach to the task was slow but sure.
Other Ways to Say: Steady progress, Methodical, Gradually advancing
5. As Slow as a Snail
Meaning: Moving at an extremely slow pace, like a snail.
In a Sentence:
The line moved as slow as a snail at the store.
He’s as slow as a snail when getting ready.
Other Ways to Say: Snail-paced, Crawling along, Super slow
6. Crawl
Meaning: To move very slowly, often with difficulty.
In a Sentence:
The traffic was crawling on the highway.
Her project is crawling toward completion.
Other Ways to Say: Inch along, Move slowly, Drag along
7. Slow Burn
Meaning: A gradual buildup of anger, frustration, or progress.
In a Sentence:
His slow burn of frustration showed in his work.
The project’s slow burn finally led to results.
Other Ways to Say: Gradual buildup, Simmering, Steady escalation
8. Watching Paint Dry
Meaning: An activity or situation that is extremely slow and boring.
In a Sentence:
Waiting for the results was like watching paint dry.
The lecture was so slow, it felt like watching paint dry.
Other Ways to Say: Boringly slow, Tediously dragging, Dull and slow
9. Snail
Meaning: A metaphor for something or someone extremely slow.
In a Sentence:
He’s a snail when it comes to finishing tasks.
The process moved like a snail through bureaucracy.
Other Ways to Say: Slowpoke, Dawdler, Sluggish mover
10. Tortoise
Meaning: Someone or something slow but steady, like a tortoise in a race.
In a Sentence:
She’s a tortoise, but she always finishes strong.
His tortoise-like pace ensured careful work.
Other Ways to Say: Slow but steady, Methodical mover, Gradual progress
11. Creeping
Meaning: Moving slowly and cautiously, often barely noticeable.
In a Sentence:
The project is creeping along at a slow pace.
Time was creeping by during the long wait.
Other Ways to Say: Inch along, Crawling, Moving slowly
12. At a Glacial Pace
Meaning: Extremely slow, like the movement of a glacier.
In a Sentence:
The renovations are moving at a glacial pace.
Her progress was at a glacial pace, frustrating everyone.
Other Ways to Say: Super slow, Painfully slow, Like ice moving
13. Drag Your Feet
Meaning: To delay or move slowly due to reluctance or laziness.
In a Sentence:
He’s dragging his feet on the group project.
She dragged her feet, slowing the trip planning.
Other Ways to Say: Dawdle, Procrastinate, Move reluctantly
14. Take Your Sweet Time
Meaning: To move or act slowly, often deliberately.
In a Sentence:
She’s taking her sweet time to finish the report.
He took his sweet time getting ready for the event.
Other Ways to Say: Go slowly, Dawdle, Take it easy
15. Inch Along
Meaning: To make very slow progress, like moving an inch at a time.
In a Sentence:
The line at the airport was inching along.
His studies are inching along slowly but surely.
Other Ways to Say: Crawl along, Move bit by bit, Progress slowly
Related Post: 50 Idioms for The Best to Sound Natural
16. Like Watching Grass Grow
Meaning: Extremely slow and tedious, like grass growing.
In a Sentence:
The meeting was like watching grass grow.
Her slow work pace was like watching grass grow.
Other Ways to Say: Painfully dull, Tediously slow, Boringly gradual
17. Poke Along
Meaning: To move or work at a leisurely or slow pace.
In a Sentence:
They poked along the trail, enjoying the scenery.
He’s poking along with his homework assignment.
Other Ways to Say: Dawdle, Move slowly, Take your time
18. Slow as a Turtle
Meaning: Extremely slow, like the pace of a turtle.
In a Sentence:
The old computer runs as slowly as a turtle.
She’s as slow as a turtle when packing her bags.
Other Ways to Say: Turtle-paced, Sluggish, Painfully slow
19. Dawdle
Meaning: To waste time or move slowly without purpose.
In a Sentence:
Stop dawdling and finish your work!
She dawdled through the morning, slowing everything.
Other Ways to Say: Linger, Dilly-dally, Waste time
20. Behind the Times
Meaning: Slow to adopt new ideas or methods, outdated.
In a Sentence:
Their slow system is behind the times.
He’s behind the times, resisting modern trends.
Other Ways to Say: Outdated, Slow to change, Old-fashioned
21. Slow on the Uptake
Meaning: Slow to understand or grasp something.
In a Sentence:
She’s slow on the uptake with new concepts.
He was slow on the uptake during the training.
Other Ways to Say: Slow to understand, Dim-witted, Not quick
22. Plod Along
Meaning: To move or work steadily but slowly.
In a Sentence:
He’s plodding along with his research project.
The team plodded along, making slow progress.
Other Ways to Say: Trudge along, Move steadily, Work slowly
23. Lagging Behind
Meaning: Falling behind others due to slow progress.
In a Sentence:
She’s lagging behind in her studies this semester.
The project is lagging behind due to slow decisions.
Other Ways to Say: Falling back, Trailing, Slow to keep up
24. Move at a Crawl
Meaning: To progress extremely slowly, like crawling.
In a Sentence:
Traffic was moving at a crawl during the storm.
Her work on the report moved at a crawl.
Other Ways to Say: Inch along, Creep along, Barely advance
25. Slowpoke
Meaning: A person who moves or acts very slowly.
In a Sentence:
Don’t be a slowpoke; we’re late for the meeting!
He’s such a slowpoke when getting ready.
Other Ways to Say: Dawdler, Laggard, Slow mover
26. Take It Slow
Meaning: To proceed deliberately and carefully, avoiding haste.
In a Sentence:
She decided to take it slow with her new project.
He’s taking it slow to ensure quality work.
Other Ways to Say: Go easy, Move cautiously, Pace yourself
27. Dilly-Dally
Meaning: To waste time by moving or acting slowly.
In a Sentence:
Stop dilly-dallying and finish your chores!
She dilly-dallied, slowing the group’s plans.
Other Ways to Say: Dawdle, Linger, Procrastinate
28. Like a Sloth
Meaning: Extremely slow, like the movements of a sloth.
In a Sentence:
He’s moving like a sloth this morning.
The process is like a sloth, painfully slow.
Other Ways to Say: Sloth-like, Super sluggish, Slow as can be
29. Drag One’s Heels
Meaning: To delay or act slowly, often out of reluctance.
In a Sentence:
He’s dragging his heels on the team assignment.
She dragged her heels, slowing the decision process.
Other Ways to Say: Stall, Procrastinate, Move reluctantly
30. At a Leisurely Pace
Meaning: Moving or working slowly and relaxed.
In a Sentence:
They strolled at a leisurely pace through the park.
Her project progressed at a leisurely pace.
Other Ways to Say: Easygoing speed, Relaxed pace, Unhurried
31. Slow as a Glacier
Meaning: Extremely slow, like the movement of a glacier.
In a Sentence:
The approval process is slow as a glacier.
His response time was slow as a glacier.
Other Ways to Say: Glacially slow, Painfully sluggish, Barely moving
32. Tiptoe Along
Meaning: To move slowly and cautiously, often metaphorically.
In a Sentence:
She’s tiptoeing along with her new responsibilities.
The negotiations are tiptoeing along slowly.
Other Ways to Say: Proceed cautiously, Move carefully, Inch forward
33. Trudge Along
Meaning: To move slowly and heavily, often with effort.
In a Sentence:
He trudged along through the long meeting.
The project is trudging along at a slow pace.
Other Ways to Say: Plod along, Slog through, Move laboriously
34. Like Wading Through Mud
Meaning: Extremely slow and difficult progress, like moving through mud.
In a Sentence:
The paperwork felt like wading through mud.
Her studies were like wading through mud this semester.
Other Ways to Say: Slow and tough, Hard slog, Difficult progress
35. Lollygag
Meaning: To spend time aimlessly or move slowly.
In a Sentence:
Stop lollygagging and get to work!
She lollygagged, slowing down the group’s plans.
Other Ways to Say: Dawdle, Loiter, Waste time
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Free to Unlock Expressive Power
36. Slow Off the Mark
Meaning: Slow to start or react to something.
In a Sentence:
He was slow off the mark with the new project.
She’s slow off the mark in group discussions.
Other Ways to Say: Slow to start, Late to react, Behind the curve
37. At a Turtle’s Pace
Meaning: Moving very slowly, like a turtle.
In a Sentence:
The repairs are going at a turtle’s pace.
He’s working at a turtle’s pace on his homework.
Other Ways to Say: Turtle-like, Super slow, Crawling along
38. Drag On
Meaning: To continue slowly for too long.
In a Sentence:
The meeting dragged on, slowing everything down.
Her recovery dragged on, taking months.
Other Ways to Say: Go on forever, Prolong, Take too long
39. Slow as a Wet Week
Meaning: Extremely slow, like a long, dreary week.
In a Sentence:
The process was slow as a wet week.
His progress felt slow as a wet week.
Other Ways to Say: Painfully slow, Endlessly dragging, Sluggish
40. Creep Along
Meaning: To move very slowly, often barely noticeable.
In a Sentence:
The traffic was creeping along during the storm.
Her project is creeping along at a slow rate.
Other Ways to Say: Inch along, Move slowly, Barely progress
41. Take Forever
Meaning: To seem to take an extremely long time.
In a Sentence:
The repairs seem to take forever to complete.
She’s taking forever to finish her task.
Other Ways to Say: Drag on, Endlessly slow, Never-ending
42. Move Like a Slug
Meaning: To move very slowly, like a slug.
In a Sentence:
He’s moving like a slug through his chores.
The process moved like a slug, frustrating everyone.
Other Ways to Say: Sluggish, Slow as molasses, Barely moving
43. Lingering Along
Meaning: To move or progress slowly, often unnecessarily.
In a Sentence:
She’s lingering along with her assignments.
The meeting lingered along, slowing the day.
Other Ways to Say: Dawdling, Taking too long, Dragging out
44. Slow as Cold Tar
Meaning: Extremely slow, like tar in cold weather.
In a Sentence:
His response was slow as cold tar.
The project moved slow as cold tar this week.
Other Ways to Say: Super sluggish, Painfully slow, Like molasses
45. Mosey Along
Meaning: To move or walk slowly in a relaxed manner.
In a Sentence:
They moseyed along the beach at sunset.
She’s moseying along with her tasks today.
Other Ways to Say: Stroll slowly, Amble, Take it easy
46. Slow to the Punch
Meaning: Slow to react or take action.
In a Sentence:
He was slow to the punch in the debate.
She’s slow to the punch when starting new tasks.
Other Ways to Say: Slow to act, Behind the curve, Late to respond
47. Like a Lazy River
Meaning: Moving slowly and calmly, like a gentle river.
In a Sentence:
The day flowed like a lazy river, slow and calm.
Her work pace is like a lazy river, unhurried.
Other Ways to Say: Easygoing, Slow and steady, Relaxed pace
48. Tarry Along
Meaning: To linger or move slowly, often wasting time.
In a Sentence:
He tarried along, delaying the group’s plans.
She’s tarrying along with her project tasks.
Other Ways to Say: Linger, Dawdle, Take too long
49. Slow as a Dawdling Child
Meaning: Extremely slow, like a child taking their time.
In a Sentence:
The process was slow as a dawdling child.
He’s slow as a dawdling child when working.
Other Ways to Say: Childishly slow, Painfully sluggish, Dawdling
50. At a Crawling Pace
Meaning: Moving very slowly, barely progressing.
In a Sentence:
The construction is at a crawling pace this month.
Her studies are moving at a crawling pace.
Other Ways to Say: Inch by inch, Barely moving, Super slow
Exercise to Practice – Idioms for Slow
- My brother is such a _________________________; he takes ages to get ready in the morning.
- The traffic on the highway was _________________________ this morning due to the heavy rain.
- The city council’s decision-making process is so slow; it feels like they’re moving at a _________________________.
- Waiting for my computer to boot up is like _________________________; it’s incredibly boring.
- He’s not a fast runner, but he’s _________________________, always finishing the race.
- The new project is _________________________ because we’ve only completed a small part of it so far.
- She’s very bright, but she’s a little _________________________ when it comes to understanding sarcasm.
- My grandmother walks at a _________________________ to enjoy the scenery in the park.
- He was _________________________ in the meeting and missed the key points of the presentation.
- The approval for the building permit seems to _________________________; it’s been months with no progress.
Answer Key
- slowpoke
- slow as molasses
- snail’s pace
- watching paint dry
- slow but sure
- creeping along
- slow on the uptake
- leisurely pace
- slow off the mark
- take forever
Conclusion
Forget simply describing something as slow. You’ve transcended basic vocabulary to become a master of nuance and imagery. The Idioms for Slow you’ve explored are the brushstrokes of a true artist, the secret to painting a vivid, expressive picture with every word. This isn’t just about learning phrases; it’s about wielding a new form of conversational power.
Your English is no longer a tool—it’s an art. Go ahead and create your next masterpiece.
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
