1
as in to relax
to make less taut
the lead climber loosened the climbing rope so that the other climber could have more room to maneuver
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to release
to set free (as from slavery or confinement)
the dog ran after the squirrel after he was loosened from the post
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to unleash
to set free (from a state of being held in check)
once he got to know us better, his inhibitions loosened a bit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of loosen
This ensures the twists won't loosen and fall out.
—
Amira Rasool, InStyle, 8 June 2026
The ladies then loosened the mood and began discussing pop culture topics, like Pink's Tony Awards opening number and Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's reported wedding plans at Madison Square Garden.
—Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026
His gums are bleeding, his joints ache and his teeth are loosening from their sockets.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Sanchez slid into home and the ball appeared to loosen from the glove of Redwood catcher Aubrie Jenkins on a throw from left field by freshman Kyrie Rodriguez based on video replay.
—Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for loosen
Amira Rasool, InStyle, 8 June 2026
The ladies then loosened the mood and began discussing pop culture topics, like Pink's Tony Awards opening number and Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's reported wedding plans at Madison Square Garden.
—Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026
His gums are bleeding, his joints ache and his teeth are loosening from their sockets.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Sanchez slid into home and the ball appeared to loosen from the glove of Redwood catcher Aubrie Jenkins on a throw from left field by freshman Kyrie Rodriguez based on video replay.
—Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for loosen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosen
Verb
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Just 1,040 afternoons to sit by the pool, play catch in the yard with your kids, or just relax and enjoy life on the patio.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
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Book a room with a view, then sit back, relax, and enjoy your stay.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Fable 5, in particular, marked the first time that Anthropic released such an advanced offering to the public, thanks to new safeguards that block responses in specific high-risk areas.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
13 June 2026
-
After plenty of speculation that Bad Bunny might somehow link up with a papal event, the Vatican confirmed that the pair had a brief, behind-closed-doors meeting, although no photos were released.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Verb
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The demolition of McKim Mead and White’s masterpiece unleashed the preservation movement and a multigenerational tide of nostalgia, which should rightly get refracted into any new design.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
8 June 2026
-
The Angels unleashed five games’ worth of frustration on the Dodgers.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Consumer sentiment improved in June for the first time since the outbreak of the Iran war as gasoline prices eased in recent weeks, but shopper attitudes remained near their worst level on record, University of Michigan survey data on Friday showed.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
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As screens dominate work, school and leisure, knowing the warning signs and how to ease them has become a daily-life issue, not a niche health concern.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 June 2026
Verb
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By aligning purchases with real demand and clearing dead stock, a small business can free up cash and improve overall cash flow stability.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
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Additionally, many retail investors could sell Tesla stock shares to free up capital and purchase SpaceX shares.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Secretary Hegseth seemed in his remarks to link immigration to the legacy of the D-Day landings by Allied forces who were liberating Europe from the Nazis.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
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Lastly, let the full moon in Capricorn liberate you from emotional baggage.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Verb
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The ClearBell colony loosing ClearBells like snowflakes into the water.—
Mandy-Suzanne Wong,
Longreads,
5 Feb. 2026
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Co-regulating your emotions alongside your toddler can help achieve a resolution to conflict without raising your voice or loosing your temper.—
Sara Rowe Mount,
Parents,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The opera, an adaptation of Dorothy and DuBose Heyward’s play (itself an adaptation of the latter’s 1925 novel), tells the story of a disabled Black beggar hailing from Charleston, who attempts to rescue Bess from her drug dealer and controlling lover.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
14 June 2026
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All of the dogs were rescued alive, though officers say they were left inside the moving truck for several hours.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loosen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosen. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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