slacking 1 of 2

noun

as in loafing

Related Words

Relevance

slacking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of slack
as in loosening
to make less taut the skipper ordered the crew to slack off the sheets on the mainsail

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of slacking
Verb
But your employee isn’t slacking, Kagan said. — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 14 June 2026 Redneck points out that it's heightened the XL's front wall by 11 inches (28 cm) as compared to older Freedom models, slacking up the angle of the roof to adjust for it. — New Atlas, 13 Apr. 2026 Not that the segment was slacking—far from it. — Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 14 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slacking
  1. loafing
  2. loosening
  3. lounging
  4. slackening
  5. idling
  6. legal holiday
  7. rest
Noun
  • The researchers concluded that at least one of the keys to preventing social loafing is restoring individual responsibility within a group.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Definition of loafing
Verb
  • Briceno recommends anchoring your elbow, loosening your grip, and allowing the brush to do the work.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 24 July 2026
  • Marijuana entrepreneurs and one of the president’s wealthy friends, Howard Kessler, eventually triumphed with direct appeals to the president, creating a playbook that Rogan followed in his outreach on loosening the regulation of psychedelics.
    — Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
Definition of loosening
Noun
  • Some only have two or three recline options, whereas top-dollar models can be adjusted between a set range of angles for a more personalized lounging experience.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 16 July 2026
  • In summer, Barcelona’s high humidity dictates lazy beach lounging followed by long meals on restaurant terraces.
    — Jessica Benavides Canepa, Travel + Leisure, 16 July 2026
Definition of lounging
Verb
  • Another factor was the slackening appeal of industrial companies, which had long absorbed the greatest number of young graduates.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
  • 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
Definition of slackening
Noun
  • There is no penalty associated with unattended idling in state statute, however, individual municipalities have ordinances in place with fines for the action.
    — Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 18 Nov. 2025
Definition of idling
Noun
  • California, where his farm workers organizing movement began, made his birthday a legal holiday in 2000, and President Barack Obama later established it as a federal commemorative holiday.
    — Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
  • Colorado recognizes March 31 as a voluntary legal holiday, with state offices remaining open.
    — Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of legal holiday
Noun
  • It's also advised to use PTO for part of the trip to ensure genuine rest, as a workation isn't a substitute for a true break.
    — Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Take a look A lawmaker laid to rest The late Senator Lindsey Graham’s South Carolina funeral service will be held on Wednesday.
    — Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 29 July 2026
Definition of rest

Browse Nearby Words

slackers
slacking
slacking (off)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slacking. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of spindrift

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All