loosen

verb loos·en \ ˈlü-sᵊn \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of loosen

loosened; loosening play \ˈlüs-niŋ, ˈlü-sᵊn-iŋ\

transitive verb

1 : to release from restraint

2 : to make looser

loosened his tie

loosen a screw

3 : to relieve (the bowels) of constipation

4 : to cause or permit to become less strict —often used with up

loosened the rules

intransitive verb

: to become loose or looser

See loosen defined for English-language learners

See loosen defined for kids

Examples of loosen in a Sentence

He used a spade to loosen the soil.
She loosened the cake from the sides of the pan.
After eating so much I had to loosen my belt.
When the meeting was over he loosened his tie.
One of the screws had loosened a bit and had to be tightened.
Each generation seems to loosen the established standards of behavior.
Standards of behavior seem to be loosening everywhere.

Recent Examples of loosen from the Web

After years of demand growing faster than funding, the government looks poised to loosen the purse strings.

— The Economist, "The NHS looks due to get more money. Where should it go?," 28 Mar. 2018
For its part, South Korea agreed to loosen the rules on U.S. automobiles coming into the country.

— anna fifield, Washington Post, "South Korea agrees to open auto market in return for exemption from steel tariffs," 26 Mar. 2018
Part of the challenge, however, is that loosening the rules for some companies could open tax-avoidance strategies for others.

— richard rubin, WSJ, "New Tax on Overseas Earnings Hits Unintended Targets," 26 Mar. 2018
The answer will now come from the Competition Committee, with a charge from Goodell to simplify and loosen the rule (read: allow more catches!).

— andrew brandt, SI.com, "Goodell vs. Jerry II, A Bad Deal for Bortles, Aaron Rodgers Ready for Record Deal," 6 Mar. 2018
France has an ally in the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, which proposed in 2016 to loosen the rules so the EIB can also lend for actual defense projects.

— jonathan stearns, Bloomberg.com, "Military Maneuvers Prompt EU Tug of War Over Development Bank," 18 Feb. 2018
As another corporate giveaway, the plan would encourage putting major public infrastructure (like, say, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) up for sale, and would loosen environmental rules designed to protect local communities.

— lindsay koshgarian, Fortune, "Commentary: Trump’s Infrastructure Plan Is a Scam," 12 Feb. 2018
Fold a spoonful of cream into marshmallow mixture to loosen, then fold in remaining cream and spread on top of chilled crust.

— woman's day kitchen, Woman's Day, "Grasshopper Bars," 12 Feb. 2018
Use damp paper towels to wipe greasy dust from the casing and a soft-bristle brush dampened with a mild cleanser, like Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Dish Soap ($2, amazon.com) to loosen the dust on the blades, then rinse with a damp paper towel.

— lauren smith, Good Housekeeping, "How to Get Rid of Dust and Make Your Home Shine," 16 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'loosen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.