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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Inventory loosening up One sign the housing market is loosening is an increasing ratio of sellers to buyers.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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In 2019, the Legislature passed House Bill 2458, loosening some regulations around the organization and authorizing the sale of promotional items.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, climate change is slowing regrowth, and timber volumes (thus logging jobs) have fallen six-fold in just a decade.—
Evan Mills,
Mercury News,
15 Mar. 2026
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The final stage was supposed to be maximum effort, which meant beginning at an all-out sprint and gradually slowing the treadmill down just enough to avoid being thrown off the back.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Higher rates tend to increase the relative appeal of yielding assets such as government bonds versus non-yielding precious metals like gold.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
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Lower real interest rates historically reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets like silver, while also supporting the industrial activity that drives silver demand in electronics, electric vehicles and green technology.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Torque-vectoring control and performance braking package The four-wheel-drive version of the Ti3 adds a series of premium features aimed at improving performance, comfort, and the overall driving experience.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
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Tracks such as Shanghai, meanwhile, feature more corners and braking zones, so this factor the drivers and many fans don’t like is much reduced.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slackening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slackening. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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