slacken

[ slak-uhn ]

See synonyms for: slacken slackened slackening slackens on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with or without object)

to make or become less active, vigorous, intense, etc.
to make or become looser or less taut.

Origin of slacken

First recorded in 1570–80; slack¹ + -en¹

Other words for slacken

1, 2	relax, loosen, slack, abate

See synonyms for slacken on Thesaurus.com

Opposites for slacken

2	tighten, tense

See antonyms for slacken on Thesaurus.com

Other words from slacken

un·slack·ened, adjective
un·slack·en·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use slacken in a sentence

Breezes change direction to come from the west and slowly slacken.
D.C.-area forecast: Showers by late afternoon or evening, then perhaps some snow showers Saturday | A. Camden Walker | January 15, 2021 | Washington Post
Westerly winds slowly slacken somewhat, but early gusts around 25 mph are still possible.
Updated D.C.-area forecast: Very cold through Saturday with bitter wind chills | A. Camden Walker, Jason Samenow | December 25, 2020 | Washington Post
Normally, demand slackens the week of Christmas through the first couple weeks of the new year in what is traditionally the cheapest time of year to advertise on TV.
‘A front-loaded holiday’: TV ad market tightens even more, but may loosen up soon | Tim Peterson | December 11, 2020 | Digiday
Presently Kari's walk slackened into a slow pace, and we felt quite sure that he was dozing.
Kari the Elephant | Dhan Gopal Mukerji
After he had pulled the barge about two hundred yards he stopped; the rope slackened and then the current pulled against us.
Kari the Elephant | Dhan Gopal Mukerji

She went slowly on; the man slackened his pace and fell behind so that he could still keep her in sight.
An Episode Under the Terror | Honore de Balzac
And presently I saw that our consort, the Dane, had slackened her speed, so that there was a mile of water between us astern.
A Prince of Cornwall | Charles W. Whistler
He walked quickly until he came to the Rue St. Honoré, when his pace slackened a little and he grew more thoughtful.
The Light That Lures | Percy Brebner

British Dictionary definitions for slacken

slacken

/ (ˈslækən) /

verb(often foll by off)

to make or become looser
to make or become slower, less intense, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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