slacks

American

[slaks] / slæks /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

men's or women's trousers for informal wear.

slacks British

/ slæks /

plural noun

informal trousers worn by both sexes

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of slacks

First recorded in 1815–25; slack ¹ + -s ³

Compare meaning

How does slacks compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

trousers vs. slacks

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She added with a laugh that she’d brainstormed speech material the previous night while shaving her legs, despite the fact that she was outfitted in slacks at the ceremony.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

Still, James insisted that headquarters employees dress a cut above business casual, requiring jackets and slacks for men.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 11, 2025

Goodnight was wearing a tactical vest, olive slacks and a beige shirt, complete with a badge and what appeared to be a body camera and radio equipment.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 23, 2025

They were medium-handsome, in their 70s, and dressed dapperly in khaki slacks and navy sport coats bearing name tags that identified them as Bill and Frank.

From Salon • Jul. 4, 2025

He’d pulled his locks back into a slick ponytail and wore linen slacks under a white guayabera.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023