Sometimes things don’t move quickly. Whether it’s a person walking slowly, a long day at school, or waiting for something to happen, being slow can feel very noticeable. In English, there are many idioms to describe things that happen slowly. Idioms are phrases that don’t mean exactly what they say, but they help us explain ideas in fun and clear ways.
In this article, we’ll explore idioms for slow. These expressions help describe when something is taking its time, dragging on, or just moving at a calm pace. Let’s look at how people talk about things that aren’t fast.
Idioms for Slow
1. Slow as a snail
Meaning: Moving very slowly.
Samples: He walks slow as a snail. / The line was as slow as a snail.
To Put it Another Way: Very slow. / Taking forever.
2. At a snail’s pace
Meaning: Extremely slow speed.
Samples: Traffic moved at a snail’s pace. / The computer was working at a snail’s pace.
To Put it Another Way: So slow. / Barely moving.
3. Slowpoke
Meaning: A person who moves slowly.
Samples: Hurry up, slowpoke! / He’s such a slowpoke in the morning.
To Put it Another Way: Slow person. / Takes a long time.
4. Drag your feet
Meaning: Move slowly on purpose.
Samples: He’s dragging his feet about homework. / Don’t drag your feet let’s go!
To Put it Another Way: Taking too long. / Not hurrying.
5. Take your time
Meaning: Don’t rush.
Samples: Take your time with the art project. / She told me to take my time and do it right.
To Put it Another Way: No need to hurry. / Go slowly.
6. In no hurry
Meaning: Not feeling rushed.
Samples: I’m in no hurry today. / He’s in no hurry to clean his room.
To Put it Another Way: Not rushing. / Going slowly.
7. Slow and steady
Meaning: Moving carefully and patiently.
Samples: Slow and steady wins the race. / He worked slow and steady on the puzzle.
To Put it Another Way: Careful and calm. / Goes step by step.
8. Behind the times
Meaning: Old-fashioned or slow to change.
Samples: That phone is behind the times. / Their rules are behind the times.
To Put it Another Way: Outdated. / Slow to update.
9. Slower than molasses
Meaning: Extremely slow.
Samples: This line is slower than molasses. / He moves slower than molasses in winter.
To Put it Another Way: Super slow. / Very sluggish.
10. Drag on
Meaning: Last too long or feel slow.
Samples: The class dragged on forever. / The meeting dragged on for hours.
To Put it Another Way: Took too long. / Felt slow.
11. Take forever
Meaning: Take a very long time.
Samples: He takes forever to get ready. / That download took forever!
To Put it Another Way: So slow. / Too much time.
12. Like watching paint dry
Meaning: Very boring and slow.
Samples: That movie was like watching paint dry. / Waiting in line felt like watching paint dry.
To Put it Another Way: Very dull. / Took forever.
13. Like watching grass grow
Meaning: Extremely boring and slow.
Samples: Waiting for the bus was like watching grass grow. / That lesson felt like watching grass grow.
To Put it Another Way: Super slow. / Not exciting.
14. Slow off the mark
Meaning: Slow to begin something.
Samples: He was slow off the mark in the race. / I was slow off the mark during the quiz.
To Put it Another Way: Started late. / Slow to begin.
15. Turtle pace
Meaning: Very slow speed.
Samples: The project moved at turtle pace. / She’s working at turtle pace today.
To Put it Another Way: Very slow. / Not quick.
16. Sluggish
Meaning: Moving slowly, without energy.
Samples: I felt sluggish this morning. / He’s sluggish after lunch.
To Put it Another Way: Tired and slow. / No energy.
17. Take the scenic route
Meaning: Take a longer, slower path.
Samples: We took the scenic route to school. / Let’s take the scenic route and enjoy the view.
To Put it Another Way: Go slow and enjoy. / Take a longer way.
18. Inch along
Meaning: Move very slowly.
Samples: The car inched along the road. / The line is inching along.
To Put it Another Way: Barely moving. / Very slow steps.
19. Take baby steps
Meaning: Move slowly and carefully.
Samples: Let’s take baby steps with this new lesson. / She’s taking baby steps after the fall.
To Put it Another Way: Go slowly. / Step by step.
20. Snail trail
Meaning: A path left by something slow.
Samples: The toy left a snail trail across the floor. / That group is moving at a snail trail pace.
To Put it Another Way: Very slow movement. / Barely moving forward.
21. Plod along
Meaning: Move slowly but steadily.
Samples: He plodded along through his chores. / We plodded along the path.
To Put it Another Way: Slow and steady. / Step by step.
22. Slowed to a crawl
Meaning: Moved extremely slowly.
Samples: Traffic slowed to a crawl. / The internet slowed to a crawl.
To Put it Another Way: Almost stopped. / Very slow.
23. Creep along
Meaning: Move slowly and carefully.
Samples: The car crept along the icy road. / We crept along the hallway quietly.
To Put it Another Way: Moved slowly. / Cautious steps.
24. Take it slow
Meaning: Don’t hurry.
Samples: Let’s take it slow on this hike. / The teacher told us to take it slow on the project.
To Put it Another Way: Go easy. / Don’t rush.
25. Easy does it
Meaning: Go slowly and carefully.
Samples: Easy does it don’t drop the vase. / Easy does it when lifting the box.
To Put it Another Way: Move gently. / Be careful and slow.
26. Time crawls
Meaning: Time feels like it’s moving slowly.
Samples: Time crawled during the long test. / On rainy days, time crawls.
To Put it Another Way: Time goes slow. / It feels like it never ends.
27. Move at a glacial pace
Meaning: Extremely slow, like a glacier.
Samples: The line moved at a glacial pace. / That project is going at a glacial pace.
To Put it Another Way: Very, very slow. / Barely moving.
28. Taking ages
Meaning: Taking a very long time.
Samples: He’s taking ages to finish his work. / This is taking ages!
To Put it Another Way: So slow. / A long wait.
29. On the back burner
Meaning: Something being delayed or slowed down.
Samples: Our game is on the back burner for now. / That idea is on the back burner.
To Put it Another Way: Not happening now. / Delayed.
30. Dilly-dally
Meaning: Waste time by moving slowly.
Samples: Don’t dilly-dally or we’ll be late. / She was dilly-dallying before class.
To Put it Another Way: Wasting time. / Being slow on purpose.
Find the Topics: Idioms for Slow
Reading Passage: “Too Slow for Recess”
The class was excited for recess, but Max was taking forever to pack his things. “You’re moving at a snail’s pace,” said Olivia. Max smiled and said, “I’m just taking my time.”
But the clock was ticking. The rest of the group was already at the door, and Max was still inching along. “Come on, slowpoke,” said Liam. “Don’t drag your feet!”
Even when the class was halfway to the playground, Max plodded along. “He’s taking baby steps,” Olivia whispered. By the time Max got outside, recess had already started. “That felt like watching grass grow,” he said, laughing at himself.
Your Task:
Can you underline or list all 8 idioms for slow used in the story?
Answer Key
- Taking forever
- At a snail’s pace
- Taking my time
- Inching along
- Slowpoke
- Drag your feet
- Plodded along
- Taking baby steps
Conclusion
Sometimes things just go slowly, whether it’s walking to class or waiting for a big moment. Idioms help us talk about these slow moments in more fun and creative ways.
By learning idioms for slow, we can describe people, places, or situations that aren’t moving fast. Whether someone is taking baby steps or dragging their feet, these sayings help us explain what slow really feels like. Try using one of the next time something feels like it’s taking forever!
