slacks

American

[slaks] / slæks /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

men's or women's trousers for informal wear.

slacks British

/ slæks /

plural noun

informal trousers worn by both sexes

"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

Etymology

Origin of slacks

First recorded in 1815–25; slack ¹ + -s ³

Compare meaning

How does slacks compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

trousers vs. slacks

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She added with a laugh that she’d brainstormed speech material the previous night while shaving her legs, despite the fact that she was outfitted in slacks at the ceremony.

From Los Angeles Times

The dads were in their after-work best: slacks and a sweater, some sort of brown shoe.

From The Wall Street Journal

Still, James insisted that headquarters employees dress a cut above business casual, requiring jackets and slacks for men.

From The Wall Street Journal

Wearing polka-dot slacks, she went to the hotel where Ford was speaking to the World Affairs Council.

From Los Angeles Times

“The handmade shoe is alive and well in this shop,” he said, dressed in pressed black slacks and tinted sunglasses, chunky gold rings gleaming on his fingers.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023