slowdown

noun

slow·​down ˈslō-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce slowdown (audio)
: a slowing down
a business slowdown

Examples of slowdown in a Sentence

The business had a slowdown after the holidays. disease experts are encouraged by the recent slowdown in the spread of the virus
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Procurement Decisions Consider a scenario where AI predicts that a key Southeast Asian supplier may face production slowdowns due to political instability. Viral Hirpara, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025 Trump—who has long decried the trade deficits the U.S. has with China and other countries—tried this week to frame the dramatic slowdown in shipments from China as a positive sign. Nik Popli, Time, 9 May 2025 The window for executing a successful parry is pretty generous, and the dramatic temporal slowdown and sound effects make each one feel like an impactful moment. ArsTechnica, 9 May 2025 The Fed could reduce rates preemptively to help forestall a slowdown. Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for slowdown

Word History

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of slowdown was in 1882

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slowdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slowdown. Accessed 12 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

slowdown

noun
slow·​down ˈslō-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce slowdown (audio)
: a slowing down

Legal Definition

slowdown

noun
slow·​down ˈslō-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce slowdown (audio)
: a slowing down of business operations by employees

More from Merriam-Webster on slowdown

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!