slowed up
Reduced the pace
Slowed up means reduced speed or pace, identical in meaning to slowed down.
The "up" adds emphasis without changing direction: Traffic slowed up near the accident.
Both phrases work the same way—English tolerates this apparent contradiction because the particles signal completion rather than direction.
- brakedReduced speed intentionally
- checkedConfirmed by examination
- crawlMove slowly, low
- curbedLimited or checked
- held backKept from advancing
hit the brakes · lag · decelerated · drag · throttled · bogged down · hesitated · wound down · tapered off · creep · bottlenecked · delayed · coasted · faltered · jammed · languished · impeded · dawdled
slowed upsped up
Increased velocity or tempo
accelerated · quickened · picked up speed · hastened · fast-tracked
slowed upadvanced
Far along in development
expedited · forged ahead · made headway · progressed · moved forward
slow, slowed, slowing, slows, slower, slowest, slowly, slowness, slowdown