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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of slackening
Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
Hammers tapped slackening fibers and instead of the pleasant overtones of a major scale, a nauseating cacophony swelled from the instrument’s wooden belly.
—Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 21 Jan. 2026
There was still a risk of more flash flooding and mudslides Friday despite slackening rain around Los Angeles, the National Weather Service warned.
—Ty Oneil, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2025
Verb
Another factor was the slackening appeal of industrial companies, which had long absorbed the greatest number of young graduates.
—Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
Hammers tapped slackening fibers and instead of the pleasant overtones of a major scale, a nauseating cacophony swelled from the instrument’s wooden belly.
—Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 21 Jan. 2026
There was still a risk of more flash flooding and mudslides Friday despite slackening rain around Los Angeles, the National Weather Service warned.
—Ty Oneil, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slackening
Verb
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The deal could generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue, loosening Nvidia's grip on the market in the process.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
27 May 2026
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The results suggest a broad surge in support for loosening restrictions on research into substances such as psilocybin and MDMA to probe their potential for medical use.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Play resumed after a 15-minute delay with water slowing the ball and splashing up from puddles with every tackle.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
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For an army dependent on long and vulnerable supply lines, slowing movement can be as valuable as destroying vehicles.—
David Kirichenko,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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Gold rose on Tuesday, but remained on track for its steepest monthly decline since October 2008, as persistent inflation worries and expectations of higher interest rates due to the impact of the Iran war weighed on the non-yielding metal.—
Ashitha Shivaprasad,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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The prospect of higher interest rates as a result of the war could boost government bonds among investors, at the expense of non-yielding precious metals, market strategists told CNBC recently.—
Joseph Wilkins,Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The front half of the lap has braking zones.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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The information revealed that the accelerator was pressed to the floor with no signs of braking in the five seconds before the crash.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slackening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slackening. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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