No slower than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "no slower than" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that has a measurable rate, such as a car's speed or amount of progress made. For example, "The car drove no slower than 60 miles per hour."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

We go no slower than four miles an hour through an alternate-history United States in The Long Walk.

The Guardian - Books

In comparison to the standard Smith Waterman alignment whose time complexity is O(| X|·| W|), BWA-SW has better time complexity since it is no slower than BWT-SW whose time complexity O | X|0.628| W|) (Lam et al., 2008).

Bioinformatics

For instance, a 50mm lens should be casually handheld at speeds no slower than 1/50 second; a 200mm lens should be no slower than 1/200.

WikiHow

I stuck closely to his plan – including a tough weekly "power hour" (for me, one lap of a track at six-minute mile pace and three at 7 10, for 60 minutes), instructions to run the rest of my schedule at no slower than eight-minutes per mile, and with daily core exercises and three weekly strength sessions.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

We prove that the model d-k-CSP exhibits exact phase transitions if klnd increases no slower than the logarithm of the number of variables.

Artificial Intelligence

It is as if he were told to drive simultaneously no faster than 45 miles per hour and no slower than 60.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

But they are no slower to develop than most alternatives and almost certainly faster than nuclear.

The Guardian

There are similar differences in rice as shown in Figures  3B and 3D; the growth of calli infected with the Nos -HPT-GFP vector waslowerer than that with the vector controlled by CaMV 35S in two experimental repeats, although the transformation rates were comparable between these two promoters.

BMC Biotechnology

Ratings agency Moody's said its assessment assumed "that the incoming economic team can muster convincing parliamentary support for a fiscal adjustment that is no looser nor slower than was outlined by all three political parties during their respective pre-election campaigns".

The Guardian - Business

George Osborne announced at the Conservative party conference this month that Britain would cut its carbon emissions "no slower but also no faster" than the rest of the EU.

The Guardian

"So let's at the very least resolve that we are going to cut our carbon emissions no slower but also no faster than our fellow countries in Europe".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When setting performance expectations, use "no slower than" to establish a lower limit, ensuring that the minimum acceptable rate is clearly defined. For example, "The data processing should be completed in no slower than 5 seconds."

Common error

Be careful not to confuse "no slower than" with "no faster than". "No slower than" sets a minimum speed, while "no faster than" sets a maximum speed. For instance, if you want to ensure something is at least a certain speed, use "no slower than."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "no slower than" functions as an adverbial phrase that modifies a verb, specifying a minimum acceptable rate or speed of an action or process. It sets a lower bound on how slowly something can occur, ensuring it meets a certain performance threshold. Ludwig shows examples across various domains where this phrase is used to define such limits.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

35%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Encyclopedias

6%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "no slower than" is a grammatically sound phrase used to indicate a minimum acceptable rate or speed. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. It appears most frequently in news and scientific contexts, with a neutral register suitable for various audiences. When using this phrase, ensure that you are setting a lower limit and not a maximum speed, and be mindful of the alternatives like "at least as fast as" if you want to emphasize a quicker pace. Ludwig's examples provide useful context for how to effectively incorporate this phrase into your writing. It's worth noting, according to Ludwig, that this phrase is found across a variety of reputable sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at a rate of at least

Directly specifies a minimum acceptable rate.

at least as fast as

Emphasizes a minimum speed requirement, similar to "no slower than".

no less rapid than

A more formal way of expressing the same minimum speed or pace.

not less than

Focuses on the minimum acceptable rate, maintaining a meaning akin to "no slower than".

at a comparable pace or faster

Indicates a pace that is either the same or quicker.

equal to or faster than

Highlights that the speed must be at least the specified value.

with a speed not inferior to

Uses formal language to denote a minimum required speed.

a minimum of

Specifies a minimum limit, in this case for speed or rate.

must maintain a pace of

Emphasizes the need to keep up a certain pace, implying a minimum speed.

not under

Implies a lower bound, similar to ensuring something is "no slower than".

FAQs

How do I use "no slower than" in a sentence?

Use "no slower than" to specify a minimum rate or speed that something should maintain. For instance, "The assembly line must operate at a rate of "no slower than" 10 units per hour" indicates the minimum acceptable production rate.

What's a formal alternative to "no slower than"?

A more formal alternative to "no slower than" is "at a rate of at least". For example, instead of saying "The server response time should be "no slower than" 2 seconds", you could say "The server response time should be at a rate of at least 2 seconds".

What can I say instead of "no slower than" to emphasize a faster pace?

If you want to emphasize a faster pace, you could use phrases like "at least as fast as" or "equal to or faster than". These options highlight that the rate can be the same or quicker, but not slower, than the specified value.

Is "no slower than" grammatically correct?

Yes, "no slower than" is grammatically correct and is used to indicate a minimum acceptable speed or rate. According to Ludwig, it is a valid and understandable phrase in English.