SLACKENED Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

slackened 1 of 2

adjective

as in loosened

not tightly fastened, tied, or stretched slackened lines

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slackened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of slacken

as in relaxed

to make less taut you'll need to slacken the rope a bit to get it free of that post

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in slowed

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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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 slackened

Verb

His power slackened in 2025 before a slight resurgence this season. — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 Friday night weather The ferociously high winds that moved through the region Thursday have since slackened, but breezy conditions will linger through the weekend. — Matthew Villafane, CBS News, 19 June 2026 Pumping in recent years has slackened to an average of 705,000 acre-feet. — Allen Best, Denver Post, 14 June 2026 Contributors tried their hand at the remainder, but with so few implications left, many people drifted away; Tao’s updates slackened from their near-daily cadence to once every few weeks. — Quanta Magazine, 8 June 2026 The pace of killings slackened, with cadres told to reeducate rather than exterminate those who’d strayed. — Matthew Campbell, Bloomberg, 22 May 2026 The year before, the e-commerce platform eliminated 500 jobs, or about 4 percent of its personnel, after online spending slackened post-pandemic. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 27 Feb. 2026 And while Braum’s has recently slackened its former rule of not venturing 300 miles from the farm (that number is now 330 miles), Beuchaw says the company does not plan to inch out any further. — Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025 The potential for sharp, disputatious cultural criticism has arguably slackened. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slackened

Adjective

Use a non-abrasive scrubbing sponge or a microfiber cloth to remove all the loosened debris.

— Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 19 Sep. 2026
The loosened restrictions will not empower Washington to pursue investment and economic cooperation with al Sharaa’s government, which could transform the impoverished country.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of loosened

Verb

For example, footwear and athletic apparel sales have slowed as shoppers put off buying trendy items.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Gas purchases pump up retail sales A separate report from the Commerce Department Thursday showed that Americans slowed their spending in September.

— Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of slowed

Adjective

Maybe the shooting shook something loose in her and has amplified her worst tendencies.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
Think tombstones, solid skeletons, signs or other decorations that hold their shape and don’t have loose or dangling parts.

— Katie Koschalk, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of loose

Verb

There were no signs the driver braked in the moments before the collision, video footage of the incident shows.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
The driver struck Sabini with the right front corner of the Honda, braked and came to rest in the westbound lane.

— Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of braked

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“Slackened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slackened. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of slackened

adjective

verb

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