Definitions

slow down

VERB

bog down

Synonyms

STRONGEST

halt hang up impede stall

WEAK

decelerate delay detain retard set back sink slacken slow up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advance forward help

VERB

brake

Synonyms

STRONGEST

decelerate impede

STRONG

bar block dam halt hinder moderate obstruct slacken slow stop

WEAK

reduce speed

Antonyms

STRONG

advance aid allow assist continue encourage forward free help let go liberate open permit promote push unblock

WEAK

accelerate

VERB

catch one's breath

Synonyms

WEAK

breathe ease off mellow out recuperate relax rest sit down stop for a breath take a break take ten wind down

VERB

check

Synonyms

STRONGEST

arrest control curb halt prevent reduce stop

STRONG

baffle bar bit bottleneck bridle checkmate choke circumvent constrain counteract delay discourage foil frustrate harness hold impede inhibit interrupt limit moderate neutralize obstruct obviate pause preclude rebuff repress repulse retard snub squelch stay suppress tame terminate thwart withhold

WEAK

cut short hold back hold down hold in keep back nip in the bud play for time rein in slacken pace

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid allow assist continue encourage help let go

STRONG

abet advance approve facilitate forward free permit release

WEAK

expedite indulge liberate

VERB

cumber

Synonyms

STRONG

burden delay encumber hinder impede inhibit load obstruct oppress overload saddle tax trouble

WEAK

hold back weigh down

Antonyms

STRONG

advance aid allow assist boost facilitate forward further help promote relieve support unburden

VERB

decrease

Synonyms

STRONGEST

abate curb curtail cut down decline depreciate deteriorate diminish drop drop off dwindle ease ebb fall off lessen lower reduce shrink sink slacken slash slump soften subside wane weaken

STRONG

check contract crumble decay degenerate devaluate droop evaporate fade lighten modify quell quiet restrain settle shrivel waste wither

WEAK

calm down die down dry up let up lose edge narrow down peter out run low slack off tail off wear away wear down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ascend compliment develop enlarge expand extend go up grow improve increase irritate laud lengthen praise prolong raise rise strengthen

STRONG

build liberate upset

WEAK

add

VERB

detain

Synonyms

STRONGEST

apprehend confine delay jail

STRONG

bust buttonhole check constrain decelerate hinder ice impede inhibit intern mire nab pinch reserve restrain retard withhold

WEAK

bog down hang up hold up pick up pull in put away run-in send up set back slow up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

free liberate

STRONG

advance aid allow assist facilitate forward give help let go offer permit push release

VERB

drag

Synonyms

STRONGEST

crawl creep hang shuffle

STRONG

dally dawdle delay inch lag linger loiter poke procrastinate sag shamble stagnate straggle tarry traipse

WEAK

be delayed be quiescent encounter difficulty lag behind limp along mark time put off trail behind

Antonyms

STRONG

advance finish go hasten hurry push run rush speed

VERB

encumber

Synonyms

STRONGEST

burden overburden

STRONG

block charge clog cramp discommode embarrass hamper hinder hog-tie impede incommode inconvenience lade load obstruct oppress overload retard saddle tax trammel weight

WEAK

hang up hold up make difficult saddle with weigh down

Antonyms

STRONG

advance aid allow assist benefit boost clear encourage exonerate facilitate forward free further gladden help let go make happy open permit please promote push release support unblock unburden

VERB

hamper

Synonyms

STRONGEST

block curb frustrate hamstring hinder hobble hold up impede inconvenience inhibit obstruct prevent retard stymie thwart

STRONG

baffle balk bar bind check clog cramp cumber embarrass encumber entangle fetter foil hog-tie leash restrain shackle tie trammel

WEAK

cramp one's style drag one's feet get in the way hang up interfere with tie one's hands tie up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advance aid allow assist benefit encourage facilitate forward free further help let go permit promote push support

STRONG

abet explain liberate loose loosen open release unfasten untie

WEAK

expedite

VERB

hold up

Synonyms

STRONGEST

delay detain hinder impede interrupt stay stop suspend

WEAK

hold off interfere pause prorogue retard set back waive

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advance aid allow assist continue encourage facilitate forward further help

WEAK

permit promote

VERB

impede

Synonyms

STRONGEST

block curb cut off delay deter disrupt hamper interfere retard slow stymie thwart

STRONG

bar brake check clog dam discomfit disconcert embarrass faze freeze oppose rattle restrain stonewall stop

WEAK

blow whistle on close off cramp one's style dead-end flag one hang up hold up saddle with shut down shut off

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advance aid allow assist encourage expedite forward help permit promote push

STRONG

comfort continue free go liberate open release soothe unblock unclog

WEAK

facilitate support

VERB

laze

Synonyms

STRONGEST

loiter loll saunter

STRONG

bum dally dillydally dream drift evade goldbrick lie loaf lounge malinger piddle relax shirk slack stall stroll trifle vegetate

WEAK

be inactive be indolent be slothful be unoccupied bum around do nothing fool around fritter away hang out kill time knock around let down lounge around not lift a finger pass time sit around stand around take it easy twiddle thumbs waste time while away hours

Antonyms

STRONG

do face meet

VERB

lessen

Synonyms

STRONGEST

abate curtail decrease dilute diminish dwindle ease erode impair lighten minimize mitigate narrow shrink slacken taper off weaken

STRONG

abridge amputate attenuate clip close contract crop cut de-escalate decline degrade downsize drain minify moderate soft pedal taper thin truncate

WEAK

become smaller cut back die down grow less roll back slack up take the bite out take the edge off take the sting out wind down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

develop enlarge expand extend grow increase intensify irritate lengthen prolong strengthen worsen

STRONG

go up rise stretch

WEAK

raise

VERB

let up

Synonyms

WEAK

abate cease decrease die down die out diminish ease ease off ease up ebb fall moderate release relent slacken stop subside wane

Antonyms

WEAK

continue

VERB

loaf

Synonyms

STRONGEST

laze loll

STRONG

bum dally dillydally dream drift evade goldbrick idle lie loiter lounge malinger piddle relax saunter shirk slack stall stroll trifle vegetate

WEAK

be inactive be indolent be slothful be unoccupied bum around fool around fritter away hang out kill time knock around let down lounge around not lift a finger pass time sit around stand around take it easy twiddle thumbs waste time while away hours

Antonyms

STRONG

do face hurry meet run rush

WEAK

achieve energize labor work hard

VERB

mire

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bog down embroil enmesh ensnare entangle flounder implicate involve stick tangle trap

STRONG

cling decelerate detain dirty entrap retard sink snare soil

WEAK

hang up set back slow up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

exclude free let go release remove uncomplicate untangle untwist

STRONG

clean liberate

VERB

obstruct

Synonyms

STRONGEST

block curb cut off hamper hinder impede inhibit interfere obscure retard stall stonewall stymie thwart

STRONG

arrest bar barricade check choke clog close congest crab fill frustrate hamstring hide interrupt mask occlude plug restrain sandbag shield stop stopper terminate throttle trammel

WEAK

dead-end drag one's feet foul up get in the way hang up hold up monkey with shut off weigh down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advance aid allow assist encourage facilitate forward further help permit promote push

STRONG

begin continue free lay bare let go liberate open release reveal start support unblock uncover unmask unplug unstop

WEAK

abet boost clear

VERB

peter out

Synonyms

STRONGEST

abate die out ebb evaporate fade recede tail away tail off taper off wane

WEAK

come to nothing die down diminish drain dry up fail give out lessen run dry run low run out slack off stop

Antonyms

STRONGEST

increase rise

WEAK

grow

VERB

reduce

Synonyms

STRONGEST

curtail cut cut down diminish dwindle knock off lessen lower pare scale down shorten slash trim weaken

STRONG

abate abridge bankrupt break cheapen chop clip contract debase deflate depreciate depress diet dilute discount drain impair impoverish moderate pauperize rebate recede ruin shave slim taper truncate

WEAK

bant cut back go on a diet lose weight mark down nutshell roll back step down take off weight taper off tone down turn down wind down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

compliment develop enlarge expand extend grow increase lengthen praise prolong raise strengthen

STRONG

amplify enhance laud rise stretch upgrade

WEAK

invigorate win

VERB

rein

Synonyms

STRONGEST

curb repress restrict suppress

STRONG

bridle check collect compose cool halt hold limit smother

WEAK

hold back simmer down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

encourage let go release

STRONG

continue disperse scatter

WEAK

free

VERB

relax

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ease loosen lower modify reduce relieve slow weaken

STRONG

abate ebb loose mitigate moderate modulate remit slack slacken

WEAK

ease off lax let up lose speed untighten

Antonyms

STRONGEST

grow increase raise strengthen

STRONG

incite intensify rise

WEAK

agitate excite tense worry

VERB

retard

Synonyms

STRONGEST

choke off crimp decelerate hamper impede lessen

STRONG

arrest baffle balk bog brake check choke clog dawdle decrease defer delay detain down encumber falter fetter flag hesitate loaf loiter mire poke postpone reduce slacken stall

WEAK

back off bog down bring to screeching halt close off hang up hold back hold up let up set back shut down shut off slow up take down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid assist help promote

STRONG

advance allow continue do encourage expand expedite forward free further grow hasten hurry increase let go liberate maintain persevere raise release rush speed strengthen unblock

WEAK

push

VERB

set back

Synonyms

WEAK

bog down decelerate defeat detain embog hang up hold up impede mire retard reverse slow slow up

Antonyms

WEAK

advance forward

VERB

slack/slacken

Synonyms

WEAK

abate decrease diminish dodge drop off dwindle ease ease off featherbed flag goldbrick goof off idle lax lay back lessen let up lie down on job loose moderate neglect reduce relax release shirk slack off taper tire untighten wane

Antonyms

WEAK

stiffen tighten

VERB

stall

Synonyms

STRONGEST

halt hamper hinder interrupt postpone put off slow stay stop suspend

STRONG

arrest brake check die equivocate fence filibuster hedge prevaricate quibble stand still stonewall tarry temporize

WEAK

avoid the issue beat around the bush drag one's feet hold off not move play for time shut down stand off stand still take one's time

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advance aid allow assist carry out continue do encourage expedite forward help permit promote push

WEAK

further

VERB

strike

Synonyms

STRONGEST

go on strike hit the bricks stage a walkout walk out

STRONG

arbitrate boycott mediate negotiate picket quit

WEAK

be on strike hold out mutiny refuse to work resist revolt tie up

Antonyms

STRONG

lock out

WEAK

comply obey

VERB

unwind

Synonyms

STRONGEST

sit back take it easy

STRONG

quieten recline rest

WEAK

calm down ease off loosen up quiet down take a break wind down

Antonyms

WEAK

agitate prepare ready tangle twist wind

VERB

weaken

Synonyms

STRONGEST

abate decline decrease depress dilute diminish dwindle halt impair lessen lower reduce sap soften undermine wane

STRONG

adulterate crumble cut debase debilitate devitalize droop enervate exhaust fade fail faint flag impoverish invalidate languish limp lose minimize mitigate moderate relapse relax temper thin tire totter tremble vitiate wilt

WEAK

break up ease up give way lose spirit thin out water down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid assist compliment develop encourage enlarge expand extend grow help increase praise prolong raise rise strengthen

STRONG

achieve activate aggravate agitate animate clean energize enhance excite free improve incite invigorate purify refresh succeed win

WEAK

build up

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On the other hand, construction projects slow down, health services are strained, harvests suffer and maybe tourists rethink their vacation plans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 10, 2026

There is also the prospect of opposition from some unionist parties who may seek to slow down or block its passage.

From BBC • Jul. 4, 2026

AI capital spending could slow down as a result, as hyperscalers prioritize projects with clearer near-term monetization, CE adds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026

“They can bring the requester into court, and at a minimum, slow down the process, and probably more likely get the requester to simply withdraw.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026

It looked wild, frenzied, like it wasn’t sure which way to go, forward and back, forward and back, and before it could slow down, I clamped my hand over the washer.

From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller

slow down

Example Sentences

Related Words