as in loosened
not tightly fastened, tied, or stretched
slackened lines
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in relaxed
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 slowed
to cause to move or proceed at a less rapid pace
drivers need to slacken their speed as they approach the sharp curve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of slackened
Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
The potential for sharp, disputatious cultural criticism has arguably slackened.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
And while Braum’s has recently slackened its former rule of not venturing 300 miles from the farm (that number is now 330 miles), Beuchaw says the company does not plan to inch out any further.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
The potential for sharp, disputatious cultural criticism has arguably slackened.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slackened
Adjective
-
Next, carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and use a microfiber cloth to wipe away all the loosened grime.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Apple even pushed through a rare round of cuts — though the bloodletting slowed by the end of the year.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
However, Machado seems to have regrouped following the elbow surgery that marred the end of his 2023 season and slowed him to start 2024.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
None of these would form the loose, granular snow conditions that compress under skis on Earth and Pluto's gravity only makes things worse.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
13 Feb. 2026
-
This will get rid of any loose hair, flaky skin, or pesky dandruff.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Waymo Driver braked hard, reducing speed from approximately 17 mph to under 6 mph before contact was made.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The vehicle detected the child and braked hard.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slackened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slackened. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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