1
as in careless
failing to give proper care and attention
lax parents who let their kids stay out as late as they want
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in relaxed
not bound by rigid standards
the guidelines for the essay contest were fairly lax, permitting a wide variety of topics
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in loosened
not tightly fastened, tied, or stretched
the sheet on the foresail was lax, and so the sail was flapping wildly in the stiff wind
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lax
Complicating matters further are sophisticated networks of onshore and offshore actors who facilitate illicit operations by obscuring catch data, obfuscating labor abuses, and lobbying to maintain lax regulations, according to C4ADS.
—
Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
Phones weren’t locked in RFID pouches, and security was lax, according to Pinto.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 23 May 2025
The growth of shadow IoT devices at the enterprise level and the lax implementation of security rules for IoT device makers present a serious risk to multinational corporations.
—Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
Many of them had been jailed before but released because of lax juvenile crime policies in the city, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
—Peter D'abrosca , Cb Cotton, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lax
Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
Phones weren’t locked in RFID pouches, and security was lax, according to Pinto.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 23 May 2025
The growth of shadow IoT devices at the enterprise level and the lax implementation of security rules for IoT device makers present a serious risk to multinational corporations.
—Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
Many of them had been jailed before but released because of lax juvenile crime policies in the city, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
—Peter D'abrosca , Cb Cotton, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lax
Adjective
-
The problem isn’t that general providers are careless, but that their systems and staff simply aren’t built for these edge cases.—
Ari Raptis,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
-
When businesses are careless and people get hurt, those businesses should be held accountable.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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There are photographs from those years, in an album with captions my mother wrote on bits of masking tape: my parents posing with other recent arrivals from Kolkata, looking relaxed on what must have been a Sunday afternoon.—
Jhumpa Lahiri,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
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The beaches are wide and relaxed, and the surrounding trails offer dramatic views of the Ligurian coastline.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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As the story goes, biased or uninformed teachers call a child protection hotline, and out-of-touch caseworkers deem the parents neglectful and remove their children.—
Emily Putnam-Hornstein and Naomi Schaefer Riley,
Twin Cities,
13 Apr. 2025
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In one, which aired in September, 1949, the Goldbergs get a new, neglectful landlord.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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Building Flexibility Into Your Estate Plan Revocable Living Trusts as Your Foundation A revocable living trust can serve as the cornerstone of flexible estate planning.—
Patti Brennan,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
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This variety pack of bandages covers every kind of small injury—a total of 280 sheer and clear flexible adhesive bandages in five different sizes and shapes, for small wounds, burns, or even shoe chafing.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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The left-hander began the ninth with a groundout, but after Ketel Marte homered and Geraldo Perdomo drew a nine-pitch walk, Spencer Bivens and Erik Miller began to get loose.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
4 July 2025
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Make sure to set your face with a pressed or loose setting powder, and then continue with the rest of your eye makeup.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
3 July 2025
Adjective
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By the end of the summer, there will be another pool with a zero-entry layout, lazy river, and seven private cabanas.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
11 July 2025
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The cellphone chimed, a surprise on a hot, lazy Sunday evening when few emails announce themselves.—
Scott Craven,
AZCentral.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Driving Challenges tackle rock gardens, blind drop-offs, and water crossings where sloppy throttle work comes at a cost.—
Shelby Knick,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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Thus far, the Wind Down delivers with its clean lines, deep cushions, and just-right balance of softness and structure that is far from sloppy—even with her young child is known to practice high dives and a somersaults or two.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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Your arms should be down by your sides, and the towel should be slack and without tension.—
Alyssa Ages,
Outside Online,
28 June 2025
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Whenever the topic of his childhood comes up, or even something random about the war, his face goes slack and a mist seems to pass over his eyes.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lax. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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