How to Use pick/take up the slack in a Sentence

pick/take up the slack

phrase
  • Chances are good that at least one person will be ready to pick up the slack.
    Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2023
  • That will leave Tatum left to pick up the slack and cover the cracks.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 8 May 2025
  • But in most cases, other area theaters could take up the slack.
    Tom Brueggemann, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2024
  • If their fly ball volume wanes, there are other parts of their games that can pick up the slack.
    Tony Blengino, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Maybe their running game will take up the slack if their passing game isn’t clicking.
    Elliott Teaford, Orange County Register, 30 Oct. 2024
  • And no one else on the roster has yet appeared close to being able to pick up the slack.
    Dylan Bumbarger, oregonlive, 4 Apr. 2023
  • Will the Reds have someone(s) to pick up the slack when the Bat Men cool?
    Paul Daugherty, The Enquirer, 7 June 2021
  • Bangladesh has since opened a new air cargo hub at one of its major airports to pick up the slack.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 22 May 2025
  • Refrain from relying on others to pick up the slack or do the work for you.
    Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2024
  • Lots of other workplaces would leave it vacant and have others pick up the slack.
    Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Often, even having an equal partner in the picture isn’t enough to pick up the slack.
    ​wendy Wisner, Parents, 23 Oct. 2024
  • For example, if one parent dies, the other might need their child to pick up the slack.
    Nicole Harris, Parents, 24 July 2023
  • Other airlines, meanwhile, are doing their best to pick up the slack.
    Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 29 Dec. 2022
  • If Nvidia falters, other stocks are likely, at some point, to pick up the slack.
    Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
  • The offense, slow to pick up the slack these last three weeks, is finally showing up, as well.
    Tim Britton, New York Times, 5 July 2025
  • If not, your muscles will pick up the slack in an attempt to keep you upright, which can cause fatigue.
    Sanah Faroke, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023
  • If somebody lost their job, who’s going to pick up the slack so that their share of the payment is covered?
    Lauren Phillips, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2024
  • Moreover, when people quit, the remaining workers must pick up the slack.
    Jack Kelly, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2023
  • Kincaid missed three games with knee and collarbone injuries, but Knox didn’t pick up the slack.
    Tim Graham, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
  • The front office didn’t end up adding a pass-rushing prospect in the draft, so the trio of free agents will truly need to pick up the slack.
    Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 19 June 2024
  • The remaining core of last year's championship team will have to pick up the slack in the interim.
    Michael Shapiro, Chron, 22 Mar. 2023
  • Instead of helping to pick up the slack, Ober has become a major question mark.
    Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 13 June 2025
  • To pick up the slack, the firm intends to add researchers and engineers in India.
    Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
  • With summer here the last thing on anyone’s mind is household chores — so invest in a smart cleaning tool that can pick up the slack.
    Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 23 June 2024
  • So far, Tisdale said, the community has helped pick up the slack from the loss of other food sources.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 14 June 2025
  • With the city taking a back seat, it has been left to nonprofits like Flatbush Cats to take up the slack.
    Richard Schiffman Erin Schaff, New York Times, 8 June 2023
  • 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
  • Without enough of either, teachers and paraprofessionals in the schools have to adapt and pick up the slack.
    Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025
  • Heinemann puts faith in new markets This has left the door open for the Middle East to take up the slack.
    Kevin Rozario, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
  • Cleveland’s bigs -- Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley -- tried to pick up the slack.
    Chris Fedor, cleveland, 14 Jan. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pick/take up the slack.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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