as in softening
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1
as in loosening
to make less taut
you'll need to slacken the rope a bit to get it free of that post
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slowing
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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Recent Examples of slackening
Ty Oneil, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2025
Verb
There was still a risk of more flash flooding and mudslides Friday despite slackening rain around Los Angeles, the National Weather Service warned.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for slackening
Verb
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They’re made from Lee’s stretchy denim blend that’s designed to move with you without loosening throughout the day.—
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And in November, OpenAI signed its first cloud contract with Amazon Web Services, further loosening Microsoft's once exclusive grip.—
Verb
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There’s ample time to react, but instead of gradually slowing down to respond to the SUV in front, the Tesla’s self-driving software brakes at the last second and veers off the road, nearly plunging into the depressed center of the grass median.—
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At Hodge Park, where the city recently installed pickleball courts, Willett said the energy code was applied to a shade structure over the benches, slowing down the project by several months.—
Adjective
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The prospect of lower interest rates also helps by reducing the opportunity costs of holding non-yielding assets like bullion.—
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To taste one hot off the press, so to speak, is an experience not to be missed; the flavor is so complex, the mouthful so round, the texture so yielding.—
Verb
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Rounding out the mechanical upgrades is a revised braking system, which should come in handy on particularly treacherous routes.—
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The loss of rear vehicle lighting can reduce the vehicle visibility and fail to alert other drivers on the road if the vehicle is braking, turning or reversing which can increase the risk of a crash.—
Cite this Entry
“Slackening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slackening. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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