lax
Loose in enforcement
Lax means not strict, tight, or careful.
Lax security allows threats through.
Lax standards permit what stricter ones would reject.
A lax attitude suggests insufficient concern: The company was lax about safety regulations.
Muscles or bowels that are lax are loose or slack.
The word carries mild disapproval—something lax probably should be firmer. (All caps LAX is the Los Angeles airport.)
Inattentive, prone to mistakes
- irresponsibleLacking sense of duty
- remissNeglectful of duty
- neglectfulFailing to care properly
- inattentiveNot paying attention
heedless · unmindful · derelict · slipshod · sloppy · slack · loose · permissive
Not firmly secured
- slackAbsence of tautness
- limpLacking firmness or rigidity
- flaccidSoft, lacking firmness
- softYielding to touch
yielding · droopy · sagging · floppy · unhurried · leisurely · laid-back · easygoing
Too willing to yield
- forgivingInclined to pardon offenses
- tolerantAccepting of differences
- permissiveTolerant, lacking strictness
- mercifulDisposed toward forgiveness
clement · gentle · easygoing · benevolent · compassionate · understanding · patient · liberal
Unobstructed speech sound
- pronunciationManner of speaking words
- articulationClear vocal expression
- tongueOral muscle for taste
- openNot closed
unrounded · back · phoneme · IPA · transcription · syllable · sound · speech
careless
Inattentive, prone to mistakes
- irresponsibleLacking sense of duty
- remissNeglectful of duty
- neglectfulFailing to care properly
inattentive · heedless · unmindful · derelict · slipshod · sloppy · slack · loose · permissive · indifferent
loose
Not firmly secured
soft · yielding · droopy · sagging · floppy · unhurried · leisurely · laid-back · easygoing · casual
indulgent
Too willing to yield
- forgivingInclined to pardon offenses
- tolerantAccepting of differences
- permissiveTolerant, lacking strictness
merciful · clement · gentle · easygoing · benevolent · compassionate · understanding · patient · liberal · gracious
vowel
Unobstructed speech sound
- pronunciationManner of speaking words
- articulationClear vocal expression
- tongueOral muscle for taste
open · unrounded · back · phoneme · IPA · transcription · syllable · sound · speech · voiced
rope
Thick twisted fibers
looseness · give · play · leeway · dangle · hang · slacken · droop · tighten · taut
- negligence expressionsdrop the ball, asleep at the wheel, let slide, slack off, caught napping
- soft parentingpermissive, lenient, doting, pampering, coddling
- phoneticsphonemes, phoneme, vocal folds, consonants, vowels
- flexibilitystretch, elastic, bendy, stretchy, bendable
- slapdashsloppy, hasty, rushed, careless, haphazard
- recklessreckless, careless, rash, heedless, imprudent
laxmeticulous
Showing extreme attention to detail
careful · conscientious · diligent · painstaking · scrupulous
- lax broLacrosse player archetype
relax, relaxed, relaxing, relaxes, laxative, laxity, laxness, laxly, laxer