as in loose
not tightly fastened, tied, or stretched
the loosened nuts finally dropped off of the screws
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of loosened
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
Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
The day when everything around her began to shake and the lumps that embraced her loosened their grip and the tool tossed her through the air, she was spared from being sliced in two by the metal edge.
—María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Legislation in 2018 loosened some very-large-though-not-huge banks from stricter oversight, and when Silicon Valley Bank failed in 2023, the federal government bailed it out.
—Ganesh Sitaraman, Time, 26 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, the administration has given billions of dollars in tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy and loosened regulations on banks while easing rules around cryptocurrency.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
Seven of those states loosened their relicensing policies during that time.
—Joel Rose, NPR, 23 Mar. 2026
Still, Washington’s custodianship has loosened the grip of hardliners.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Naloxone became widely available, restrictions on medications for opioid use disorder loosened, and communities educated people on the risks of fentanyl.
—Grey Gardner, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
And yet, in California, even though the laws have been loosened, the houses have not come.
—Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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
For Americans chasing a Canadian passport, the rules may have loosened but the red tape hasn’t.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
The day when everything around her began to shake and the lumps that embraced her loosened their grip and the tool tossed her through the air, she was spared from being sliced in two by the metal edge.
—María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Legislation in 2018 loosened some very-large-though-not-huge banks from stricter oversight, and when Silicon Valley Bank failed in 2023, the federal government bailed it out.
—Ganesh Sitaraman, Time, 26 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, the administration has given billions of dollars in tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy and loosened regulations on banks while easing rules around cryptocurrency.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
Seven of those states loosened their relicensing policies during that time.
—Joel Rose, NPR, 23 Mar. 2026
Still, Washington’s custodianship has loosened the grip of hardliners.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Naloxone became widely available, restrictions on medications for opioid use disorder loosened, and communities educated people on the risks of fentanyl.
—Grey Gardner, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
And yet, in California, even though the laws have been loosened, the houses have not come.
—Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosened
Adjective
-
Plane outlets are often slow, loose, or even nonexistent, and when delays stack up, a dead phone becomes a real problem—not just an inconvenience.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Apr. 2026
-
In reality, though, the song’s lyrics are downbeat but vague, held together by a loose emotional logic.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Made with breathable, four-way stretch fabric, the pants are slightly tailored yet relaxed for an effortless feel.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Apr. 2026
-
If the security oversight requirements are relaxed, the security team may have more time to find problems, and the development team may have more time to launch the app.—
Felysha Walker,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
He was freed from jail on March 31, after posting $190,000 through a bond company, court records show.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Law enforcement freed him after consulting with prosecutors who recommended against filing charges at this time, with investigations underway.—
Corey Williams,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
McTavish handled the puck in the middle of the left circle and unleashed a wrist shot through traffic that beat Wallstedt.—
Oc Register,
Oc Register,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The 1980s unleashed a passionate wave of student protests and artistic flowering to disassemble the island’s brutal dictatorship.—
Michelle Kuo,
The Dial,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But what happens when the detox is over and the chorus of text pings, slack dings and social media notifications swells throughout the rest of the year?—
Deborah Vankin,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The mysterious Beast of Sugar Flats Road The head of the Beast of Sugar Flats Road looks like something out of a horror movie with its white-yellow fur, blackish skin, slack jaw, missing teeth and glass eyes.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
On a Wednesday morning at rush hour, the truck eased out of a loading dock and headed for the Interstate.—
Michael Kaplan,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Treasury yields, the main benchmark for mortgage rates, have also eased.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The cause of Jaxon’s death has not been released.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The White House has released the names of only about half the members, and just one is Jewish.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Hair trends may come and go, but an undone bombshell updo is timeless.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The relaxed, slipper-like silhouette from Miu Miu reflects a broader shift toward more undone, wearable footwear this season.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loosened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosened. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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