as in softening
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1
as in loosening
to make less taut
you'll need to slacken the rope a bit to get it free of that post
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slowing
to cause to move or proceed at a less rapid pace
drivers need to slacken their speed as they approach the sharp curve
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of slackening
Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 21 Jan. 2026
There was still a risk of more flash flooding and mudslides Friday despite slackening rain around Los Angeles, the National Weather Service warned.
—Ty Oneil, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2025
Verb
Hammers tapped slackening fibers and instead of the pleasant overtones of a major scale, a nauseating cacophony swelled from the instrument’s wooden belly.
—Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 21 Jan. 2026
There was still a risk of more flash flooding and mudslides Friday despite slackening rain around Los Angeles, the National Weather Service warned.
—Ty Oneil, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slackening
Verb
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In a bid to cope with the fallout of the energy shock, governments around the world have been quick to impose measures from fuel export bans to loosening refining standards.—
Michael Considine,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
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All five vessels were bulk carriers, and none were oil and gas tankers, MarineTraffic reported — raising questions about whether Iran is actually loosening its stranglehold on the crucial commercial waterway.—
Katherine Doyle,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The bigger picture for EVs and clean tech This does not mean battery EVs are slowing down.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2026
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National park travel shows no signs of slowing down—especially with summer’s peak season on the horizon.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Gold rose on Tuesday, but remained on track for its steepest monthly decline since October 2008, as persistent inflation worries and expectations of higher interest rates due to the impact of the Iran war weighed on the non-yielding metal.—
Ashitha Shivaprasad,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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The prospect of higher interest rates as a result of the war could boost government bonds among investors, at the expense of non-yielding precious metals, market strategists told CNBC recently.—
Joseph Wilkins,Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The braking system is made up of three disc brakes (one per wheel), a composite system, and Bosch ABS, all of which can be controlled via the two hand levers and a foot pedal.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
11 Apr. 2026
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Actually, the rules say the hybrid system can use more than a single charge per lap—at the last race in Japan that was set at 8 MJ—so like in Formula E, the drivers need to regenerate energy under braking to recharge the battery.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slackening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slackening. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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