slack off
verb
slacked off; slacking off; slacks off
1
: to do something with less effort or energy than before
I was exercising regularly last summer, but I've been slacking off recently.
2
: to become less active, forceful, etc.
Their business has been slacking off in recent months.
Examples of slack off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For example, when Jehosheba complains that her Martha slacks off when her dad is out of town, Daisy infers that the Commander made a visit to the Colonies.
—
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
That doesn’t mean city officials are slacking off.
—Dave Lieber, Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026
But in reality, someone who is out of a job can’t afford to slack off or remain unemployed for long — the economic pressure is too high.
—Lavender Au, The Dial, 7 Oct. 2025
New research shows that individual weaver ants get stronger as their group grows, a sharp contrast to human teams, where individuals often slack off when more members join in.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 13 Aug. 2025
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Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
That doesn’t mean city officials are slacking off.
—Dave Lieber, Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026
But in reality, someone who is out of a job can’t afford to slack off or remain unemployed for long — the economic pressure is too high.
—Lavender Au, The Dial, 7 Oct. 2025
New research shows that individual weaver ants get stronger as their group grows, a sharp contrast to human teams, where individuals often slack off when more members join in.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slack off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slack%20off. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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