1
as in to loosen
to make less taut
you'll need to slacken the rope a bit to get it free of that post
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to slow
to cause to move or proceed at a less rapid pace
drivers need to slacken their speed as they approach the sharp curve
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of slacken
At the very least, Kim’s restraint on missile testing is slackening and the administration ignores the end-of-year deadline at its peril.
—
Ankit Panda, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2019
Their pace in achieving many of his campaign promises hasn’t slackened one bit.
—Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Feb. 2025
Maybe, kinda, but only when the tempo slackens for the album’s final two ballads.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2025
The trend is a drag on growth, business expansion and job creation in a slackening labor market.
—Micah McCartney, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slacken
Ankit Panda, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2019
Their pace in achieving many of his campaign promises hasn’t slackened one bit.
—Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Feb. 2025
Maybe, kinda, but only when the tempo slackens for the album’s final two ballads.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2025
The trend is a drag on growth, business expansion and job creation in a slackening labor market.
—Micah McCartney, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slacken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slacken
Verb
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Idaho’s 1-to-6 ratio for infants remains in place, but the ratios were loosened for all older children.—
Rachel Cohen,
Vox,
17 Apr. 2025
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Compliance Gets Hyperlocal There is a tendency when reading headlines about sweeping changes to major regulatory initiatives to look only at the top-line effects — federal regulation is loosening — and the assumption that this will make compliance less burdensome.—
Mary Foley,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Limited access to nursing care can increase hospital deaths, infections and readmissions, reduce early detection of health issues, and slow the response to life-threatening conditions such as stroke, sepsis and cardiac arrest.—
Kymberlee Montgomery,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2025
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Singh and her collaborators estimated that improvements to modifiable risk factors could prevent or slow at least 60 percent of strokes, 40 percent of dementia cases, and 35 percent of late-life depression cases.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Super Cruise will essentially drive the car for you on highways – that includes acceleration, braking, and steering as well as passing slower cars and changing lanes.—
Brooke Crothers,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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Because of Sampson’s size, the harness didn’t lock properly and he was ejected from his seat when the ride braked, authorities said.—
Mike Schneider,
Orlando Sentinel,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slacken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slacken. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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