Translation guide
The English word 'slackening' refers to a reduction in tightness, tension, speed, or intensity. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for these different meanings.
To describe something becoming less tight, loose, or less tense, such as a rope, grip, or muscle.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to become loose' or 'to slacken'. Used for ropes, screws, belts, tension, etc.
Transitive verb meaning 'to loosen' or 'to slacken' something. Used when someone intentionally reduces tightness.
He slackened his belt.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to sag' or 'to become slack' due to lack of tension, often for ropes, skin, or fabric.
The clothesline is slack.
Transitive verb meaning 'to let slacken' or 'to allow to sag'. Less common.
Don't let the rope slacken.
To describe a decrease in speed, momentum, or intensity of an action or process.
Also used metaphorically for pace, tension, or strictness slackening.
The pace of work slackened.
Means 'to fall' or 'to drop', often used for speed, enthusiasm, or quality decreasing.
Means 'to decline' or 'to weaken', used for energy, momentum, or intensity.
Loanword phrase meaning 'to slow down the pace'.
He got tired and slackened his pace.
To describe rules, control, or discipline becoming less strict.
Commonly used for discipline, regulations, or vigilance slackening.
Discipline is slackening.
Transitive version: to relax rules or control.
Literally 'to become sweet', meaning to become lenient or less strict.
The teacher's grading slackened.
緩む (yurumu) is a general term for slackening of tension, tightness, or strictness. たるむ (tarumu) specifically implies sagging due to gravity or lack of support, like a loose rope or sagging skin.
In English, 'slackening' can be used broadly, but in Japanese, different verbs are used for speed (落ちる), intensity (衰える), or strictness (緩む). Using 緩む for speed is possible but less natural than 落ちる.
スピードが落ちた。
The speed slackened.
The momentum slackened.
政府は規制を緩めた。
The government slackened regulations.