give/cut (someone) some slack

phrase

informal
: to treat (someone) in a less harsh or critical way
Would you give/cut me some slack? I'm doing the best I can.

Examples of give/cut (someone) some slack in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
People who try but fail to use them properly should be cut some slack, the singer said. Dennis Romero, NBC News, 3 Aug. 2022 Does this sound like a country eager to cut some slack to a man with $140 billion and a $500 million boat? New York Times, 29 July 2022 Even though Kohli had become low picking fruit suddenly,Shastri believed his former pupil deserved to be cut some slack. Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 22 Apr. 2022 With the work more than half done, more than half the paychecks have been cashed—and, in any event, the unions should be willing to cut some slack for a President who is working hard to pass an enormous infrastructure-spending package. Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 9 June 2021 These new software tools for online learning include features that offer better controls for teachers, make unique considerations for students of different age groups, and cut some slack to the kids who need it the most. Adrienne So, Wired, 2 May 2021

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Give/cut (someone) some slack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/give%2Fcut%20%28someone%29%20some%20slack. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster