Slow as Molasses

In Southern and Appalachian speech, slow as molasses means extremely slow. The expression began in the South, comparing sluggish people or things to the way thick molasses pours, and it remains one of the region’s best-known sayings.

#SouthernSayings #Appalachia #Measurements #Southern

synonyms: very slow, sluggish, dragging, pokey, plodding

Hillbilly Dude Says...

'Slow as molasses' is a common one down here - and you might hear 'in January' after it sometimes.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

'Slow as molasses' is a common one down here - and you might hear 'in January' after it sometimes.

Pronunciation

[SLO az muh-LASS-iz]
/sloʊ æz məˈlæs.ɪz/

Meaning & Usage

- Extreme slowness (simile)

Clyde:

That ol’ tractor’s slow as molasses in January.

Pearl:

Reckon it’d still lose a race with a snail.

variations: slower than molasses, slow as molasses in January, slow as cold molasses

★ If you want to sound extra Southern, tack on "in January." Cold weather makes molasses even thicker, and that image makes the saying hit home. ★

Origin and Etymology

The phrase slow as molasses arose in the American South in the late nineteenth century, when molasses was a staple sweetener and a familiar sight on every table. Because molasses moves slowly even in warm weather-and barely at all in winter-Southerners used it as a vivid comparison for anything that dragged. The extended form, "slow as molasses in January," appears by the early 1900s and is also documented in Southern and South Midland speech surveys.

Usage Notes

Though recognized nationwide, slow as molasses retains a Southern, rural flavor. It’s used to describe people, machines, or processes that move with frustrating slowness.

Common in humor and everyday talk: "The internet’s slow as molasses today."
Variants include "slower than molasses" and "slow as molasses in January."
Still popular in storytelling, music, and country speech.
Has become part of general American English but remains culturally Southern.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Is "slow as molasses" Southern?

Yes. It originated in Southern and South Midland speech but is now familiar across the United States.

What does "in January" add?

It exaggerates the image - cold molasses pours even slower, so the phrase means "extremely slow."

Is "slower than molasses" wrong?

No. It’s a later variation with the same meaning, though "slow as molasses" is the older and more common form.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, December 2). Slow as Molasses. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/slow-as-molasses
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Slow as Molasses." HillbillySlang.com, 2 Dec. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/slow-as-molasses.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Slow as Molasses." HillbillySlang.com. December 2, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/slow-as-molasses.