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
Fortunately, the BreezyClear Pro is equipped to address all the baby’s needs from the beginning to the end of the decongestion process; by briefly misting the nasal passages, the device loosens mucus so its powerful suction can remove it quickly and without fuss.
—
Ethan Stone, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
For the current term, the high court has agreed to hear two cases where the potential to loosen liberal gun laws is the center of the litigation.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2025
With a soft hand brush or sponge, loosen dirt in a circular motion, moving across the wall from one side to the other, then moving down one line of tile and across.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025
That change is possible because California recently loosened its purification rules to allow purified wastewater to be pumped directly into a water system, instead of being stored for months in reservoirs or underground basins.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loosen
Ethan Stone, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
For the current term, the high court has agreed to hear two cases where the potential to loosen liberal gun laws is the center of the litigation.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2025
With a soft hand brush or sponge, loosen dirt in a circular motion, moving across the wall from one side to the other, then moving down one line of tile and across.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025
That change is possible because California recently loosened its purification rules to allow purified wastewater to be pumped directly into a water system, instead of being stored for months in reservoirs or underground basins.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loosen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosen
Verb
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Doctors prescribe prazosin, which relaxes blood vessels, to help lower blood pressure.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Set in a Wednesday-esque room, complete with moody lighting and adorned with props including dead roses, a gold candelabra, a black violin and faux poison, Gaga and Zeta-Jones sit behind a table and whisper into a microphone, aiming to help viewers relax.—
Kyle Denis,
Billboard,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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An internal investigation by Kenvue Brands LLC, the company that owns Neutrogena, revealed the brand’s Makeup Remover Ultra-Soft Cleansing Towelettes tested positive for a bacteria known as pluralibacter gergoviae, per information released by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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The White House did not release the size of the donations for all 37 listed.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Prodded by OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT in late 2022, Google has been steadily rolling out more of its own technology designed to ensure its products continue to evolve with the upheaval being unleashed by AI.—
Michael Liedtke,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
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These collisions unleash bursts of energy, allowing physicists to explore the most fundamental building blocks of the universe.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The good news is that their fixtures are about to ease, with only Liverpool facing a kinder run over the next 10 matches, according to Opta’s Power Rankings.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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Weddings are expensive, after all, and delaying the big honeymoon trip can help ease the blow by spreading out the cost.—
Jim Augerinos,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Thuram drags Tchouameni into the space on the left and Koopmeiners runs towards Cambiaso, freeing up Yildiz to receive in space.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Mele was freed when police linked Locci and Lo Bianco's murders to other killings that had happened when he was incarcerated.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Lawrence is liberated from anything resembling propriety or self-consciousness here.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
6 Nov. 2025
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Owen predicted the coming of a new order that would liberate Americans from their plight.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Illinois will get its share of stops, but the worst passing defense, statistically, in the Big Ten doesn’t have the athletes to compete consistently if the Buckeyes let Sayin loose again.—
Cameron Teague Robinson,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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Safer, then, to keep loosing arrows at others’ positions rather than one’s own.—
Shai Tubali,
Big Think,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The ship sank quickly, leaving 33 men to perish in the cold waters, and two to be rescued around 5 miles from Gull Island on a raft 15 hours later.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
4 Nov. 2025
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Saint Frances Wolf Sanctuary Saint Frances Wolf Sanctuary rescues wolves and wolf-dogs in need from across the country.—
Jill Robbins,
Southern Living,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loosen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosen. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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