Skip to main content
slack

slack

2 3.1
Not tight and hanging loose
  • adjective
  • /slæk/
translation icon : flojo
  • The rope was too slack, making it difficult to secure the load properly.
  • line is slack
  • go slack
  • too slack

Their lips are slack, their eyes dead.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The rope around the pig's neck was slack in Saturn's hand.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Now it's too slack; tighten up the littlest bit.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • The pig swam steadily, and the rope between them was slack.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Her stomach, which had been painfully slack, registered warm fullness.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • They're usually packed tight as pomegranates, but this one is still slack.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Before sailing, the crew checked to ensure that all the sails were tight and not slack.

  • His grip on the cable was slack, causing the equipment to sway dangerously.

Synonyms

loose
vsslack
155 1.0

Not tight so it can move or fall off

is about lacking tension or firmness especially in ropes and cables
lax
vsslack
6 4.7

Not tight, like a loose rope, so it hangs easily

refers to weak physical tension rather than missing discipline or rules

Antonyms

6 1.0

In a way that holds something firmly and not loose

Compounds

slack water
  • Specialized
1 7.9

A time when a tidal river or sea is nearly still as the tide turns

slack tide
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A short time when the water is almost still before the current changes direction

slack Alice
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who is often lazy and late finishing tasks

slack suit
  • Archaic
6.3

A casual matching set of trousers and jacket worn for informal occasions

How Loose

slack
2 3.1
to snug
4 3.5
taut
30 4.8

Surface Forms

slack positive
slacker comparative
slackest superlative

Etymology

Slack comes from an old Germanic word slak meaning 'loose' or 'slow', so you can picture something that is not pulled tight. That's why when something is slack it feels 'loose' or not firm.