Synonyms of loosened

loosened 1 of 2

adjective

as in loose

not tightly fastened, tied, or stretched

the loosened nuts finally dropped off of the screws

Synonyms & Similar Words

• loose
• slack
• relaxed
• undone
• detached
• slackened
• lax
• unsecured
• insecure
• untied
• unbound
• unfastened
• unattached
• free
• baggy
• saggy
• blousy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• tight
• taut
• tense
• restrained
• constrained
• bound
• attached
• tied
• firm
• stuck
• fast
• fastened
• jammed
• wedged
• snug

loosened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of loosen

1

as in relaxed

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

• relaxed
• eased
• slackened
• detached
• slacked
• untied
• undid
• freed
• unfastened
• unbound

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• tightened
• stretched
• attached
• bound
• tied
• strained
• fastened
• tensed
• tensioned
• restrained
• constrained

2

as in freed

to set free (as from slavery or confinement)

the dog ran after the squirrel after he was loosened from the post

Synonyms & Similar Words

• freed
• released
• liberated
• rescued
• loosed
• saved
• enlarged
• sprang
• emancipated
• turned loose
• enfranchised
• unbound
• manumitted
• discharged
• unchained
• disenthralled
• unfettered
• uncaged
• paroled
• bailed (out)
• extricated
• ransomed
• redeemed
• disengaged
• disentangled
• delivered
• unshackled
• disencumbered
• disembarrassed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• bound
• confined
• restrained
• fettered
• shackled
• handcuffed
• imprisoned
• enchained
• locked (up)
• committed
• incarcerated
• jailed
• interned
• manacled
• subdued
• conquered
• subjugated
• trammeled
• enslaved
• immured

3

as in unleashed

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

• unleashed
• released
• unloosed
• loosed
• unlocked
• unloosened
• uncorked
• let go
• expressed
• liberated
• aired
• unshackled
• sprang
• freed
• emancipated
• enfranchised
• unbound
• manumitted
• unchained
• unfettered
• unmoored
• discharged
• vented
• uncaged
• took out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• held
• restrained
• controlled
• checked
• contained
• regulated
• inhibited
• constrained
• governed
• curbed
• tamed
• smothered
• bridled
• reined (in)
• shackled
• bound
• handcuffed
• confined
• fettered
• hampered
• manacled
• trammeled
• enchained
• haltered

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of loosened

Adjective

Scrub the metal grid with a dish sponge or brush to remove loosened debris. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026

Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe away the loosened gum and any soapy residue. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 9 Aug. 2026

Hence shirt jackets and safari jackets in linen and leather came to the fore, as did denim Bermudas, linen polos and lots of lifestyle knits amid its more formal, full-canvas tailoring — styled with a loosened tie. — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 22 June 2026

For now, though, Detroit’s automakers are leaning into the lucre that comes from selling millions of fossil-fuel vehicles in a rare moment of loosened regulation. — Bloomberg, Oc Register, 24 Feb. 2026

Next, carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and use a microfiber cloth to wipe away all the loosened grime. — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2025

The board’s Budget and Legislative Analyst said the loosened contracting rules could apply to more than $1 billion in government spending. — J.d. Morris, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Jan. 2025

Verb

Sure, his back may have loosened more with each completion Daniels made last Friday. — Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026

So either Moreno has loosened his grip on the reins, or this was possible all along. — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Some look like Donald Judd furniture after somebody loosened its collar. — Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026

The straps are functional, which means they can be tightened or loosened for an optimal fit. — Caitlyn Fitzpatrick, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026

Meanwhile, Meta’s Facebook and Instagram have rolled back platform-level fact-checking in the United States, X has moved away from traditional fact-checking, and YouTube has loosened its misinformation policies. — Avi Tuschman, STAT, 13 Aug. 2026

The wine smelled potent, which loosened me enough to aim for honesty. — Téa Mutonji, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026

Each era's binding constraint, once loosened, ceased to be where advantage lived, and the frontier moved. — Dr. Aditya Vikram Kashyap, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

As fear loosened its grip, so did the physical and emotional strain that had accompanied it. — Liesl Ehmke, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2026