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

They had been going for a long while — Pippin had tried to keep count of the ‘ent-strides’ but had failed, getting lost at about three thousand — when Treebeard began to slacken his pace.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

The eight-speed transmission shuffles up to overdrive as soon as the throttle pressure slackens.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 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

That’s fitting enough; you’re meant to feel the noose tighten around each character’s neck in turn, though sometimes the tension slackens and the story threatens to collapse under the weight of its many convolutions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 16, 2023

Just when the pace slackens, Crewe deftly flicks the reins, and “The New Life” jolts forward, as with the scandal of Oscar Wilde’s trial.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 29, 2022

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

Dr. Xuma was right: the campaign soon slackened, but in our enthusiasm and even arrogance, we brushed aside his advice.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2024

The office space gaslighting gives way to horror trickery, slackening the plot's tension until it nearly unravels in the final act.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2023

The car swung off the road at Group Headquarters with a squeal of tires, slackening speed only slightly, and continued around past the parking lot to the back of the building.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller