pick/take up the slack

idiom

: to provide or do something that is missing or not getting done

The manager has to take up the slack when employees don't do their jobs correctly.

When he didn't get the pay raise he was expecting, he had to take another job to pick up the slack for more money.

Examples of pick/take up the slack in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Anthony Edwards again struggled from the field and, this time, there was no one else stepping up to pick up the slack. —Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2024

With Huerter and Monk out, the Kings have relied on Keon Ellis, Davion Mitchell and Trey Lyles to pick up the slack in their place. —Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 5 Apr. 2024

Environmentalists around the region said that the move would affect states like Wisconsin that will now have to pick up the slack to keep regional waterbodies clean. —Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024

On a positive note, Kering became less reliant on Gucci during that time, dropping from 60% of revenues in 2019 to 50% in 2023, but its other reporting brands and sectors didn’t pick up the slack. —Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

If Nvidia falters, other stocks are likely, at some point, to pick up the slack. —Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024

Golden State needed all the varying options to pick up the slack without Curry, who’s set to be re-evaluated Tuesday. —Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024

Female characters repeatedly correct, explain, pick up the slack for and outwit their male counterparts. —Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024

Two Penn freshmen helped pick up the slack with leading scorer Clark Slajchert out due to an ankle injury sustained early against Houston. —John Zenor, USA TODAY, 3 Jan. 2024