slow-motion

1 of 2

adjective

ˈslō-ˈmō-shən 

: of, relating to, or being movie or video photography in which the action that has been photographed is made to appear to occur slower than it actually occurred

a slow-motion replay

also : slowly moving

a slow-motion dance

slow motion

2 of 2

noun

: slow-motion photography

Examples of slow-motion in a Sentence

Noun

The scene was shot in slow motion.

They showed the goal in slow motion.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

And all the while, the slow-motion bank run happening inside private credit marches on. —Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026

That slow-motion-in-real-time three-pointer by Ashlon Jackson that rolled around and around the rim as though the basketball gods needed just a little more time to determine UCLA’s opponent Sunday. —Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026

Noun

As if in slow motion, the ball ricocheted off the rim and into the backboard before dropping cleanly through the net. —Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026

While recording in slow motion, the person with the phone moves toward the person posing while slowly zooming in on the screen. —Cody Godwin, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1915, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1924, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for slow-motion

• commotion
• demotion
• devotion
• emotion
• laotian
• promotion
• locomotion
• lotion
• notion
• ocean
• potion

Kids Definition

slow motion

noun

: action in a film or television picture apparently taking place more slowly than it actually occurred

slow-motion adjective