verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈslæ.kən/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ækən
CMU ARPABET:S L AE1 K AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To gradually decrease in intensity or tautness; to become slack; to lag.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
The pace slackened.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To make slack, less taut, or less intense.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
slacken the rope
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ease, loosen
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To deprive of cohesion by combining chemically with water; to slake.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
to slacken lime
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
make slack as by lessening tension or firmness
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: remit
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: loosen, loose
Narrower terms: douse, dowse
5
verb
Meaning 5
become looser or slack
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the rope slackened
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: weaken
6
verb
Meaning 6
become slow or slower
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Production slowed
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: slow, slow down, slow up, slack
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: weaken
7
verb
Meaning 7
make less active or fast
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
He slackened his pace as he got tired
Don't relax your efforts now
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: slack, slack up, relax
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: decrease, lessen, minify
History
Etymology
From Middle English slakenen, equivalent to slack + -en.
Across languages
Translations
37 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
отсла́бвам
(otslábvam)
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Bulgarian:
стихвам
(stihvam)
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Czech:
slábnout
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Czech:
ochabovat
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Czech:
ochabnout
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Czech:
zeslábnout
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Finnish:
hellitä
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Finnish:
hellittää
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Finnish:
löyhtyä
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Finnish:
höllentyä
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
German:
entspannen
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Ancient Greek:
βλακεύω
(blakeúō)
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Ido:
laxeskar
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Polish:
słabnąć
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Polish:
osłabnąć
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Portuguese:
afrouxar
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Russian:
слабеть
(slabetʹ)
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Russian:
снижаться
(snižatʹsja)
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Spanish:
aflojar
— (intransitive) to gradually decrease in intensity
Bulgarian:
намалявам
(namaljavam)
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Bulgarian:
забавям
(zabavjam)
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Czech:
oslabovat
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Czech:
oslabit
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Finnish:
hellittää
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Finnish:
löysätä
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Finnish:
höllentää
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Ancient Greek:
λύω
(lúō)
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Ido:
laxigar
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Irish:
scaoil
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Italian:
allentare
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Māori:
whakangoru
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Polish:
rozluźniać
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Polish:
rozluźnić
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Russian:
ослабля́ть
(oslabljátʹ)
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Spanish:
aflojar
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Ukrainian:
посла́блювати
(poslábljuvaty)
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
Ukrainian:
посла́бити
(poslábyty)
— (transitive) to make slack, less taut, or less intense
