慢地震是一种特殊的地震类型，其作用时间将持续数小时甚至数个月，在这段期间断层将会缓慢且温和的发生滑动，以释放地底能量，而非像是典型地震一般在短时间内错动。

慢地震的最初是在一次长时间观测的经验中发现 ，现今，大多数慢地震似乎伴随着液体流动和轻微的震动 ，而人们也可以透过地震仪定位出正在发生慢地震的震源出来。言下之意指出，虽然慢地震比典型的地震更「安静」，但不至于完全静音到无法被监测出。

此外，慢地震也和典型的地震一样，有机会引起海啸，且拥有摧毁一个城市的能力。

A slow earthquake is a discontinuous, earthquake-like event that releases energy over a period of hours to months, rather than the seconds to minutes characteristic of a typical earthquake. First detected using long term strain measurements, most slow earthquakes now appear to be accompanied by fluid flow and related tremor, which can be detected and approximately located using seismometer data filtered appropriately (typically in the 1–5 Hz band). That is, they are quiet compared to a regular earthquake, but not "silent" as described in the past. They are also capable of causing enormous tsunamis and damage to cities, just like regular earthquakes.