Antonyms for Quickly: Opposite Words

Direct Opposites of Quickly

slowly

Moving at a low speed; the turtle walked slowly across the path.

leisurely

Taking time without hurry; we took a leisurely stroll through the park.

gradually

Changing step by step over time; the crowd grew gradually larger.

sluggishly

Moving with heavy lack of energy; the river flowed sluggishly through the valley.

tardily

Arriving or acting after a delay; the mail was delivered tardily yesterday.

dilatorily

Delaying action unnecessarily; he spoke dilatorily to avoid answering the question.

tediously

Proceeding in a way that is boringly slow; the lecture went tediously on for hours.

unhurriedly

Doing something without any sense of rush; she packed her bag unhurriedly.

calmly

Acting with a peaceful and steady pace; he breathed calmly to lower his heart rate.

ploddingly

Moving with heavy effort and little speed; the ox pulled the cart ploddingly forward.

Milder Opposites of Quickly

moderately

Not very fast or very slow; the wind blew moderately outside the window.

fairly

Doing something at an average speed; she ran fairly well for someone her age.

somewhat

To a moderate degree without emphasis; the car moved somewhat slowly down the hill.

partially

Not completing an action fully or quickly; he finished the task partially before lunch.

cautiously

Moving carefully to avoid danger; the hiker stepped cautiously over the logs.

deliberately

Choosing to act with thought and not speed; he moved deliberately to avoid noise.

thoughtfully

Taking time to consider before acting; she answered the letter thoughtfully.

carefully

Doing things with care to prevent mistakes; he placed the glass carefully on the shelf.

Formal Antonyms for Quickly

at a leisurely pace

Describing a relaxed and slow progression; the guests arrived at a leisurely pace.

in a measured fashion

Acting with controlled and steady speed; the judge spoke in a measured fashion.

with deliberation

Taking time to think before acting; the decision was made with deliberation.

at a moderate rate

Moving at a middle speed without extremes; the machine operated at a moderate rate.

prolonged

Extending the time an action takes; the meeting was prolonged due to technical issues.

extended

Lasting longer than expected; the deadline was extended by the manager.

Best Opposite by Situation

in an essay

Use 'gradually' to show slow development; the story unfolded gradually over several chapters.

talking about people

Use 'leisurely' to describe a relaxed walk; they strolled leisurely through the garden.

describing machines

Use 'dilatorily' for unnecessary delays; the printer worked dilatorily and jammed.

in sports

Use 'sluggishly' for lack of speed; the team played sluggishly against the opponents.

in cooking

Use 'slowly' for low heat; the stew cooked slowly for six hours.

in traffic

Use 'at a crawl' for very slow movement; cars moved at a crawl during rush hour.

Example Sentences With the Opposites

1. The clock ticked slowly in the quiet room.Copy
2. She walked leisurely along the beach at sunset.Copy
3. The plant grew gradually over the course of a year.Copy
4. The river flowed sluggishly after the heavy rain.Copy
5. He arrived tardily for the important meeting.Copy
6. The speaker answered dilatorily to avoid the question.Copy
7. The lecture proceeded tediously for the students.Copy
8. She packed her bag unhurriedly before leaving home.Copy

How to Choose the Right Opposite

Selecting the correct antonym depends on the specific context of the action being described. If you need to emphasize a heavy lack of energy, choose sluggishly, but if the focus is on a relaxed pace, leisurely is a better fit. Formal writing often requires words like dilatorily or at a leisurely pace to maintain a professional tone. Always ensure the chosen word directly opposes the speed implied by quickly rather than describing a different quality entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions