How to pronounce slack
Say it like SLAK. Slack is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce slack. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SLAK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Slack pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SLAKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of slack
American and British speakers say slack in essentially the same way: /slæk/ in the US and /slæk/ in the UK.
British respelling: SLAK.
What does slack mean?
- not tense or taut“the old man's skin hung loose and grey”“slack and wrinkled skin”
- flowing with little speed as e.g. at the turning of the tide“slack water”
- lacking in rigor or strictness“such lax and slipshod ways are no longer acceptable”“lax in attending classes”
- dust consisting of a mixture of small coal fragments and coal dust and dirt that sifts out when coal is passed over a sieve
- a noticeable deterioration in performance or quality“the team went into a slump”“a gradual slack in output”
- a stretch of water without current or movement“suddenly they were in a slack and the water was motionless”
- avoid responsibilities and work, be idle
- be inattentive to, or neglect“He slacks his attention”
- release tension on“slack the rope”
Where does slack come from?
From Middle English slak, from Old English slæc (“slack”), from Proto-Germanic *slakaz.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with slack
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of slack.
Questions about saying slack
How do you pronounce slack?
Say SLAK. The American pronunciation is /slæk/. In British English it is /slæk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in slack?
Slack is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SLAK.
Do Americans and Brits say slack the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /slæk/ and the British form is /slæk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.