1
as in careless
failing to give proper care and attention
lax parents who let their kids stay out as late as they want
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in relaxed
not bound by rigid standards
the guidelines for the essay contest were fairly lax, permitting a wide variety of topics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in loosened
not tightly fastened, tied, or stretched
the sheet on the foresail was lax, and so the sail was flapping wildly in the stiff wind
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lax
Laptops, printers and other tech gadgets have been disappearing from Broward schools, in part due to lax controls during the COVID-19 pandemic, recent audits state.
—
Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2025
The risks of cutting corners — whether through lax vetting, poor oversight, or underestimating jurisdictional challenges — can far outweigh the financial savings.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
This was Madness, where a lax effort against a plucky underdog meant the death of a season.
—Luca Evans, The Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2025
While group dynamics may allow for a more lax and easy approach to friendship, the one-on-one dynamic means putting in the extra effort to be reliable, have regular check-ins and provide proper emotional support.
—Alicia Lansom, refinery29.com, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lax
Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2025
The risks of cutting corners — whether through lax vetting, poor oversight, or underestimating jurisdictional challenges — can far outweigh the financial savings.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
This was Madness, where a lax effort against a plucky underdog meant the death of a season.
—Luca Evans, The Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2025
While group dynamics may allow for a more lax and easy approach to friendship, the one-on-one dynamic means putting in the extra effort to be reliable, have regular check-ins and provide proper emotional support.
—Alicia Lansom, refinery29.com, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lax
Adjective
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Knight was also cited on suspicion of careless operation of a vessel and violation of navigation rules in the 2019 incident, but the charges were dismissed in 2020, court records show.—
Hanna Park,
CNN Money,
1 May 2025
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There is no place in our organization for such bias, grudge-holding, or careless voting.—
Paul Grein,
Billboard,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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Flight attendants have slightly more relaxed regulations, but their duty periods are also capped at 14 hours and are generally required to have at least 10 hours of rest between 14-hour duty periods.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
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Inspired by Spain’s vibrant tapas scene, Bulla’s brunch is all about shareable bites, bold flavors and a relaxed, celebratory atmosphere — perfect for honoring Mom.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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My parents were off to a party, my younger brother was in bed, and my older sister had a neglectful attitude toward babysitting me.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2025
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Like Fallen Idols, The Carters explores the early dysfunction, trauma, addiction, and neglectful parenting that contributed to each of the Carter children’s issues in adulthood.—
Rachel Brodsky,
Time,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The ragtag group joins together under the watchful eye of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a morally flexible private-sector spook who has been named the head of the CIA in the new film.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
30 Apr. 2025
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FineReader's screen capture utility, called ABBYY Screenshot Reader, remains the most effective and flexible way to extract text from anything visible in Windows.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Her blonde hair was styled in loose waves that framed the face.—
WWD Staff,
Footwear News,
4 May 2025
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Answers Nurse had a high event series with some loose coverage that is reflected by eye and math.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Adjective
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How To Solve Today’s Wordle The Hint: A lazy person.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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Other park pulls include a big mix of kiddie rides and Soak City, a 20-acre water park with thrilling slides, a wave pool, and a lazy river.—
Ashlea Halpern,
AFAR Media,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The pass from Dennis Schröder wouldn’t be as sloppy if Josh Hart didn’t get so in his face.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
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But several lawmakers have been using their best stage whisper to urge Leadership teams in the House and Senate that this sort of sloppy handling of sensitive information cannot become normalized.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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My actual dining companion, dressed in her nonprofit workwear, was slack jawed at the precision of the seasoning.—
Caroline Hatchett,
Robb Report,
21 Apr. 2025
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Descending is still important, especially in modern cross country, so XC bikes often have dropper posts and slack head angles, but the geometry is still less confidence-inspiring than trail bikes.—
Seb Stott,
Outside Online,
27 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lax. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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