slowly

The word “slowly” means at a slow speed or pace; not quickly. In plain terms, not fast — taking your time.

“Slowly” is pronounced SLOH-lee (/ˈsloʊli/ in IPA).

Here is “slowly” used in a sentence: “She walked slowly along the beach, enjoying the sunset.”

The opposite of “slowly” — its antonyms — are quickly and rapidly.

“Slowly” is an adverb.

The word “slowly” comes from Old English. From Old English slāwlīce, simply "slow" plus the adverb ending "-ly" — it has meant "at an unhurried pace" for well over a thousand years.

“Slowly” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

Slow can work as both an adjective ('a slow train') and, informally, an adverb ('go slow'). Slowly is only an adverb and describes how an action is done ('she walked slowly'). In careful or formal writing, slowly is the safer choice after a verb, while slow usually modifies a noun.

The direct opposite of slowly is quickly or fast, meaning at speed. Related antonyms include rapidly, swiftly, hastily and speedily. Which one fits depends on tone: rapidly and swiftly suit formal writing, while fast and quickly are everyday choices for describing something done at a high pace.

Slowly describes an action carried out at low speed: 'The old clock ticked slowly,' or 'He opened the door slowly so it wouldn't creak.' It can also suggest gradual change over time, as in 'The town slowly recovered after the storm,' where each step happens little by little.