lax

play

adjective \ˈlaks\

Definition of lax

1a of the bowels : loose, openb : having loose bowels
2 : deficient in firmness : not stringent lax control a lax foreman security has been lax
3a : not tense, firm, or rigid : slack a lax ropeb : having an open or loose texture a lax soilc : having the constituents spread apart a lax flower cluster
4 : articulated with the muscles involved in a relatively relaxed state (such as the vowel \i\ in contrast with the vowel \ē\)

laxation

play \lak-ˈsā-shən\ noun

laxly

play \ˈlaks-lē\ adverb

laxness

noun

See lax defined for English-language learners

See lax defined for kids

Examples of lax in a Sentence

The university has been lax about enforcing these rules.
lax parents who let their kids stay out as late as they want

Recent Examples of lax from the Web

The NRA also has not been vocal about the stubborn fact that white men are responsible for most of America’s mass shootings and that the NRA’s lobbying for lax gun laws enables potential mass shooters to have easier access to weapons.

— chaédria labouvier, SELF, "Why the Women's March Against the NRA Is So Crucial for the Black Community," 18 July 2017
Little surprise, then, that the Trump’s administration lax approach to ethics rules rankled Chen.

— adam k. raymond, Daily Intelligencer, "DOJ Ethics Watchdog Resigns Because Trump Made Her Feel Like a Hypocrite," 3 July 2017
Thailand’s boom of the mid-1990s, fueled by unrestrained borrowing and a corrupt, lax finance system, collapsed on July 2, 1997, when the government devalued the baht.

— jerry harmer, The Seattle Times, "20 years on, scars from Asian financial meltdown linger," 28 June 2017
Praxis Partners, Harris’ company, is assessing the health department, which has come under scrutiny in recent months for failing to notify women about abnormal Pap smears and lax oversight of swimming pools.

— caroline metzler and fred clasen-kelly, charlotteobserver, "‘The optics are horrible.’ Was hiring of interim health director a conflict of interest?," 22 June 2017
In 2011, former Kentucky State Auditor Crit Luallen found MSD at the time was beset by poor management, lax business practices, conflicts of interest and wasteful spending.

— james bruggers, The Courier-Journal, "Fired MSD auditor claims whistleblower status, alleges misdeeds and discrimination," 21 June 2017
This isn't available on the desktop chips, where power constraints are relatively lax and governed more by the cooling system than anything else.

— peter bright, Ars Technica, "AMD muscles in on Xeon’s turf as it unveils Epyc," 20 June 2017
This lack of information is evident in the relatively lax process of cannabis testing, compared to prescription drugs or foods.

— lynn johnson, National Geographic, "Organic Weed? Marijuana Growers Go Green," 16 June 2017
The anger was particularly strong since activists had warned just seven months ago that fire safety procedures were so lax that only a catastrophic blaze would bring the scrutiny needed to make the building safe.

— danica kirka, The Denver Post, "London residents demand answers in deadly high-rise blaze," 14 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lax.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of lax

Middle English, from Latin laxus loose — more at slack

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of lax

negligent, neglectful, lax, slack, remiss mean culpably careless or indicative of such carelessness. negligent implies inattention to one's duty or business. negligent about writing a note of thanks neglectful adds a more disapproving implication of laziness or deliberate inattention. a society callously neglectful of the poor lax implies a blameworthy lack of strictness, severity, or precision. a reporter lax about accurate quotation slack implies want of due or necessary diligence or care. slack workmanship remiss implies blameworthy carelessness shown in slackness, forgetfulness, or neglect. had been remiss in their familial duties