slacken

It seemed counterintuitive to slacken my grip given such a precise goal — to land a slender arrow in the epicenter of a black dot.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026

You absolutely must allow your lower face to slacken naturally, which may be right around the moment Kardashian parts her artificially plumped lips to make a heroic attempt at acting.

From Salon ● Nov. 6, 2025

The onions will slacken and sweeten over indirect heat while he assembles the rest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025

The report cautioned that it is too early to determine what caused the rate to slacken.

From BBC ● Dec. 11, 2024

I looked over at Augustus, who was staring intently at the door, and saw his shoulders slacken.

From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

Her lyrical descriptions bring fresh poignancy to well-worn scenes of exile, though her narrative slackens a little on foreign terrain.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

The problem is that the birth-death model tends to exaggerate job creation at turning points in the economy — when growth accelerates or when it slackens off.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 12, 2025

“By the time that happens, it’s just that much harder to compromise. It’s become a hot war at that point, and the desire for compromise slackens as a result.”

From Washington Post ● Jun. 19, 2022

And while the agonizing stillness of Brünnhilde and especially Wotan in their long final scene is effective in theory, Rose and Jones do not quite sell his endless impassivity, and the tension sometimes slackens.

From New York Times ● Nov. 21, 2021

Her grip on her purse slackens and her neck makes a nice curve.

From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison

Lower gas prices largely explained the tame readings on wholesale prices in the past two months, but the cost of other key commodities have also slackened.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

One of the problems defense stocks have faced was a rotation into other sectors as fighting in the Middle East slackened.

From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026

Growth in the US slowed at the end of last year, as consumer spending slackened and the federal government shut down.

From BBC ● Feb. 20, 2026

“Consumers and businesses endured another difficult quarter as higher taxes and heightened uncertainty triggered a renewed reluctance to spend, invest and trade, while government spending slackened unexpectedly,” said Suren Thiru, economics director at the ICAEW.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2025

His eyes were closed, his jaw slackened, as if he were listening to seraphic voices.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

The disconnect between slackening activity and the increasing yield has mystified even oil chieftains.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026

The central bank is trying to shore up a slackening U.S. jobs market while ensuring inflation doesn’t get out of hand again.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2025

Retail sales also fell last month, while firms from Walmart to Delta Air Lines have warned of slackening demand.

From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2025

Last year — amid a stagnating economy and slackening labor market — it reached record highs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2024

Goober put on the brakes, slackening his pace, coming finally to a halt.

From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier