slowpoke

noun

slow·​poke ˈslō-ˌpōk How to pronounce slowpoke (audio)
: a very slow person

Examples of slowpoke in a Sentence

We're going to be late if that slowpoke doesn't hurry up. quit being such a slowpoke this morning, or you'll be late
Recent Examples on the Web Don’t wait for slowpokes to join in; follow your heart and make your dreams come true. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 1 Sep. 2024 That said, not everyone agrees that letting the slowpokes who fumble with their bags in the overhead bins off first is more polite. Nerdwallet, The Mercury News, 28 June 2024 From the close of 2020 to the price peak around May of 2022, our dozen locales typically gained 40% or so, an extraordinary advance in just 17 months for such traditional slowpokes. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2023 One possible explanation for the Milky Way’s stellar slowpokes is that our galaxy is extraordinarily deficient in dark matter, the invisible substance thought to serve as gravitational scaffolding for cosmic structures. Adam Mann, Scientific American, 11 Oct. 2023 This bashful slowpoke has been a favorite of consumers for years, though, because looks and power, apparently, aren’t everything. Josh Max, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023 Part of adjusting to the chaotic aquatic environment is learning the code of how to swim around the slowpoke in front of you. Laine Higgins, WSJ, 18 June 2021 Other cars will tend to try and go around the slowpoke, which can produce a cavalcade of potential near collisions as vehicles jockey back and forth. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 28 May 2021 Those other drivers frustrated by the slow acceleration driver might get angry at the slowpoke and take untoward actions at that driver. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 28 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slowpoke.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

slow entry 1 + poke annoyingly stupid person

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of slowpoke was in 1847

Dictionary Entries Near slowpoke

Cite this Entry

“Slowpoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slowpoke. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

slowpoke

noun
slow·​poke ˈslō-ˌpōk How to pronounce slowpoke (audio)
: a very slow person
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!