slowly but certainly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "slowly but certainly" is not correct; the correct expression is "slowly but surely." You can use it to describe a process or progress that is gradual but reliable or certain.
Example: "The project is moving along slowly but surely, and we expect to see results soon."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Planty Pall, as he's known, is one of the most moving heroes in all the world's writing because he is slowly but certainly pressing for a world in which his own power will be inexorably lessened.

The New Yorker

Arianna Huffington, for her part, believes that the online and the print newspaper model are beginning to converge: "As advertising dollars continue to move online — as they slowly but certainly are — HuffPost will be adding more and more reporting and the Times and Post model will continue with the kinds of reporting they do, but they'll do more of it originally online".

The New Yorker

Innovative production methods and advanced manufacturing techniques slowly but certainly seem to find a way to be introduced in Architecture thanks to the progressive tools for computational design which enhance digital fabrication processes and programming.

Procedia Engineering

Meanwhile I continue to run, slowly but certainly.

Huffington Post

Now living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, however, I have slowly but certainly merged parts of myself with parts of America.

Huffington Post

To exacerbate this situation, databases are slowly but certainly adopting more complex XML type representations for the purpose of information interchange and data integration, making it even harder for biologists to accept textual query interfaces because XQuery type languages are considerably more complex than SQL.

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

"This will be in effect a test of the Council to see if the sanctions procedure is going to work at all, and we have moved slowly, unfortunately slowly, but we certainly have come to the point where it's time for a decision," he said.

The New York Times

In Europe, certainly, VCs have slowly but surely steered away from the big wham-bam financing rounds (at least in Web tech) of the kind that super-charged SpinVox.

TechCrunch

"It certainly seems to us that companies are slowly but surely expanding," said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer at the Solaris Group in Bedford Hills, N.Y.

The New York Times

Though there will certainly be more attacks like occurred last night in Paris, slowly but surely the arc of history will bend towards peace, democracy, and tolerance.

Huffington Post

We are certainly ready to spend the money, but the process is going slowly but surely".

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for a gradual yet assured tone, opt for the idiomatic "slowly but surely" instead of "slowly but certainly". It's the established and grammatically correct form.

Common error

Many writers mistakenly use "certainly" in place of "surely" in the phrase. Always remember that "surely" is the correct adverb to pair with "slowly" in this idiomatic expression. A good way to remember is that “surely” modifies the verb whereas “certainly” is typically used to express confidence or agreement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase, although grammatically incorrect, attempts to function as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb by describing the manner in which an action is performed. As pointed out by Ludwig AI, the correct expression is "slowly but surely."

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

25%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

15%

Encyclopedias

5%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "slowly but certainly" appears in various contexts, it's crucial to recognize that it's grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI advises, the correct and widely accepted expression is "slowly but surely". This phrase is used to describe progress that is gradual yet reliable. When writing, prioritize using "slowly but surely" to maintain grammatical accuracy and clarity. Using the correct phrase will improve the quality and credibility of your written communication. Even when found in authoritative sources, its presence underscores the importance of using the idiom correctly.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slowly but surely

Replaces "certainly" with "surely", correcting the idiomatic expression.

gradually but certainly

Substitutes "slowly" with "gradually", emphasizing the incremental nature of the progress, while retaining "certainly".

steadily but certainly

Replaces "slowly" with "steadily", highlighting the consistent pace of progress, while keeping "certainly".

surely but slowly

Inverts the order and replaces "certainly" with "surely", while retaining the core meaning of gradual and assured progress.

bit by bit, but certainly

Emphasizes the small increments of progress, while still asserting certainty.

incrementally but certainly

Replaces "slowly" with "incrementally", focusing on the step-by-step nature of the progress, with "certainly" maintained.

progressively but certainly

Substitutes "slowly" with "progressively", indicating a forward-moving trend, with "certainly" still in place.

leisurely but certainly

Highlights a relaxed pace of progress, while affirming certainty.

unhurriedly but certainly

Similar to "leisurely", but focuses on the lack of rush or pressure, while maintaining certainty.

deliberately but certainly

Focuses on the intentional and careful nature of the progress, along with certainty.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "slowly but certainly"?

The correct idiomatic expression is "slowly but surely". The phrase indicates that progress is being made gradually and reliably.

Is "slowly but certainly" grammatically correct?

No, "slowly but certainly" is not the standard or accepted form. The correct and commonly used expression is "slowly but surely".

When should I use "slowly but surely"?

Use "slowly but surely" when you want to describe a process or progress that is happening gradually but is reliable or certain to succeed over time.

What are some alternatives to "slowly but surely"?

Besides the literal meaning, you can use alternatives like "gradually but certainly", "steadily but certainly" (although grammatically questionable, depending on context, "surely" is preferred), or phrases that emphasize consistent progress over time.