slow down
"slow-down" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“slow down” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 9
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To decelerate.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | slow down |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| Letters | 9 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “slow down” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for slow down is 9 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Zero misspellings are on record for slow down in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct English form is slow down, spelled S-L-O-W- -D-O-W-N.
Definition
- 1To decelerate.
- 2To reduce the velocity, speed, or tempo of something.
- 3To become less intense, enthusiastic, etc., usually with a positive connotation, implying that one is stripped of exaggerated or unnecessary eagerness.
Antonyms
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “slow down”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is S-L-O-W- -D-O-W-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.