verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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UK:/diːˈsɛləɹeɪt/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:D IH0 S EH1 L ER0 EY2 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To reduce the velocity of something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To reduce the rate of advancement of something, such as a disease.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To go slower.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
reduce the speed of
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
He slowed down the car
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: slow down
Antonyms: accelerate
Broader terms: change, alter, modify
Narrower terms: moderate, retard, fishtail
5
verb
Meaning 5
lose velocity; move more slowly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The car decelerated
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: slow, slow down, slow up, retard
Antonyms: accelerate
Broader terms: decrease, diminish, lessen, fall
Narrower terms: slow, slow down, slow up, delay, detain, hold up
History
Etymology
Late 19th c., from de- + (ac)celerate. Compare deaccelerate.
Across languages
Translations
46 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
أبْطَأ
— reduce the velocity of something
Arabic:
تَبَاطَأ
(tabāṭaʔ)
— reduce the velocity of something
Bulgarian:
намалявам скоростта
(namaljavam skorostta)
— reduce the velocity of something
Catalan:
descelerar
— reduce the velocity of something
Catalan:
desaccelerar
— reduce the velocity of something
Finnish:
hiljentää vauhtia
— reduce the velocity of something
Finnish:
hidastaa
— reduce the velocity of something
French:
ralentir
— reduce the velocity of something
French:
décélérer
— reduce the velocity of something
Hungarian:
lassít
— reduce the velocity of something
Hungarian:
lelassít
— reduce the velocity of something
Italian:
decelerare
— reduce the velocity of something
Latin:
retardare
— reduce the velocity of something
Luxembourgish:
desacceleréieren
— reduce the velocity of something
Māori:
whakapōturi
— reduce the velocity of something
Romanian:
încetini
— reduce the velocity of something
Russian:
замедля́ть
(zamedljátʹ)
— reduce the velocity of something
Russian:
заме́длить
(zamédlitʹ)
— reduce the velocity of something
Spanish:
desacelerar
— reduce the velocity of something
Spanish:
decelerar
— reduce the velocity of something
Tagalog:
hidarasigin
— reduce the velocity of something
Ukrainian:
спові́льнювати
(spovílʹnjuvaty)
— reduce the velocity of something
Ukrainian:
спові́льнити
(spovílʹnyty)
— reduce the velocity of something
Bulgarian:
намалявам скоростта
(namaljavam skorostta)
— reduce the rate of advancement of something
Catalan:
descelerar
— reduce the rate of advancement of something
Catalan:
desaccelerar
— reduce the rate of advancement of something
Finnish:
hidastaa
— reduce the rate of advancement of something
Latin:
retardare
— reduce the rate of advancement of something
Romanian:
încetini
— reduce the rate of advancement of something
Arabic:
تَبَاطَأ
(tabāṭaʔ)
— to go slower
Bulgarian:
забавям
(zabavjam)
— to go slower
Czech:
zpomalit
— to go slower
Finnish:
hidastua
— to go slower
French:
ralentir
— to go slower
French:
décélérer
— to go slower
Hungarian:
lassul
— to go slower
Hungarian:
lelassul
— to go slower
Italian:
decelerare
— to go slower
Māori:
whakapūhoi
— to go slower
Romanian:
încetini
— to go slower
Romanian:
decelera
— to go slower
Russian:
замедля́ться
(zamedljátʹsja)
— to go slower
Russian:
заме́длиться
(zamédlitʹsja)
— to go slower
Spanish:
desacelerar
— to go slower
Ukrainian:
спові́льнюватися
(spovílʹnjuvatysja)
— to go slower
Ukrainian:
спові́льнитися
(spovílʹnytysja)
— to go slower