progressing more slowly

USAGE SUMMARY

"progressing more slowly" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when describing a situation or process that is advancing at a reduced pace compared to another. For example, "The project is progressing more slowly than anticipated due to unforeseen challenges." Alternative expressions include "advancing at a slower rate" and "moving at a reduced speed."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

The development of animal models is progressing more slowly.

Progress in Medicinal Chemistry

Partnerships with industry are driving rapid translation of this research into human trials, while basic research is progressing more slowly.

Epilepsy & Behavior

But those efforts appear to be progressing more slowly, in part because there is less of a vacuum to fill.

The New York Times

According to today's Wall Street Journal, the findings, to be released next week, conclude that Iran's long-range missile programme is progressing more slowly than previously thought.

The Guardian

By contrast, Ainsley was older, and her puberty was progressing more slowly, meaning she wasn't at much of an increased risk for short stature or breast cancer.

The New York Times - Magazine

A French edition is progressing more slowly, and there are plans for a Russian one.In this section Can it make peace in the wider region?

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

However, clinical disease manifestation can also progress more slowly with mild anaemia, progressive renal insufficiency and oscillating thrombocytopaenia [ 7].

CKJ: Clinical Kidney Journal

Those infected at younger ages would then have more of their disease course occur at younger ages when progression is slower, causing them to progress more slowly overall even if age at infection itself has no direct effect and even though they experience the same acceleration once they reach older ages.

BMC Infectious Diseases

In contrast to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an aggressive and rapidly progressive condition, interstitial lung disease (ILD) secondary to SSc (SSc-ILD) progresses more slowly and is well recognized for its stability after an initial 1-year or 2-year period of decline [ 11].

Arthritis Research and Therapy

People with dementia who live a healthy lifestyle tend to progress more slowly to the later stages.

Harvard University

In contrast, our understanding of the biological roles for lysine methylation of non-histone proteins has progressed more slowly.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer this construction over 'progressing slower' in formal reports or academic papers to ensure grammatical precision.

Common error

Avoid the double comparative error by saying 'more slower'. Since 'more' is already a comparative marker, it should be followed by the adverb 'slowly' rather than the comparative adjective 'slower'.

Linguistic Context

This phrase acts as a participle phrase modified by a comparative adverbial construction. It functions to provide a specific qualitative description of the rate of an action. According to Ludwig AI, it is frequently used to provide nuance to reports on complex systems where total cessation is not the case, but efficiency has dropped.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

35%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Social Media

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "progressing more slowly" is an essential tool in English for describing a reduced rate of advancement without implying a total stop. Ludwig AI confirms that this construction is the grammatically superior choice in formal writing compared to more colloquial alternatives. Its usage spans a wide variety of critical fields, from medical research—where it describes the rate of disease development—to economics and technology, where it tracks the pace of innovation or commercialization. By using the comparative "more slowly", writers maintain a professional and objective tone that is valued in academic journals like Nature and prestigious news outlets like The Economist. For those looking to avoid repetition, alternatives such as <a href="/s/advancing+at+a+slower+pace" target="_blank" rel="alternative">advancing at a slower pace provide the same meaning while shifting the structural emphasis. Ultimately, the phrase is a hallmark of clear, descriptive English used by experts to provide precise situational updates.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

advancing at a slower pace

Focuses on the speed of general movement or improvement

moving more gradually

Suggests a smoother or more incremental shift

proceeding at a reduced rate

Uses a more clinical or mathematical tone suitable for reports

developing with less speed

Emphasizes the growth or evolution aspect of the process

decelerating

A technical term specifically for a reduction in velocity or speed

falling short of projected speed

Focuses on the comparison with an initial quantitative forecast

trailing behind schedule

Implies a failure to meet a specific pre-defined deadline

taking longer than expected

Highlights the discrepancy between original planning and reality

losing momentum

Indicates that the process is actively slowing down from a faster start

creeping along

Suggests an extremely slow and perhaps frustratingly sluggish pace

FAQs

How do I use "progressing more slowly" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe an ongoing process, for example: "The recovery of the economy is <a href="/s/advancing+at+a+slower+pace" target="_blank" rel="alternative">advancing at a slower pace than last year."

What can I say instead of "progressing more slowly"?

Depending on the context, you could say "<a href="/s/moving+more+gradually" target="_blank" rel="alternative">moving more gradually", "<a href="/s/trailing+behind+schedule" target="_blank" rel="alternative">trailing behind schedule" or "<a href="/s/decelerating" target="_blank" rel="alternative">decelerating".

Is "progressing more slowly" or "progressing slower" correct?

Both are used, but "progressing more slowly" is grammatically preferred in formal English because 'slowly' is the standard adverb. Using "<a href="/s/progressing+slower" target="_blank" rel="alternative">progressing slower" is common in casual speech.

Does "progressing more slowly" mean the same as stalling?

No. "Progressing more slowly" means movement is still happening but at a reduced speed, whereas "<a href="/s/stalling" target="_blank" rel="alternative">stalling" implies that the process has come to a complete, often unintentional, halt.