loosen

verb

loos·​en ˈlü-sᵊn 

loosened; loosening ˈlü-sᵊn-iŋ 

ˈlüs-niŋ

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

Synonyms of loosen

• relax
• ease

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 on the Web

The afternoon loosens into tapas at Tapeo and whatever the pastry chefs are improvising that week at Bubó. — Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026

If the salad feels dry, mix in another spoonful of mayonnaise or sour cream, or one to two tablespoons of whole milk to loosen. — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 14 July 2026

That’s not something most people talked about or perhaps even knew about as officials loosened development regulations to boost housing construction. — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026

The legislation loosens regulations to encourage housing construction and limits Wall Street investors from buying homes that could go to families instead. — Allison Pecorin, ABC News, 11 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing loosen

• loosen one's collar
• loosen one's grip/hold
• loosen someone's tongue
• loosen the purse strings
• loosen up

Rhymes for loosen

• mucin

Kids Definition

loosen

verb

loos·​en ˈlüs-ᵊn 

loosened; loosening ˈlüs-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

1

: to set free

2

: to make or become loose or looser

3

: to cause or permit to become less strict

loosened the rules