1
as in relaxing
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 freeing
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 unleashing
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
as in unfixing
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of loosening
Noel Cymone Walker, StyleCaster, 29 Sep. 2025
When so many of today’s complaints—the loneliness of young people, the torturous dating market, the loosening of community bonds—come down to interpersonal alienation, the idea of American culture returning to a primal, highly evolved signal of kinship and compatibility is tantalizing.
—Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
In other instances, the loosening of vaccine mandates has been reversed after outbreaks.
—Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
In due course the informality and loosening of the customs around dressing would take people all the way to grunge and eventually, in the new millennium, put CEOs of multimillion-dollar companies in hoodies.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
The loosening of the policy around police pursuits has drawn criticism from some, including longtime advocate Jon Farris, who previously lived in Milwaukee and whose son was killed as a bystander during a police chase in Massachusetts.
—Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
Earlier this week, hedge fund billionaire David Tepper issued a stern warning that loosening too much risks more inflation and poses other dangers to the economy and markets.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025
The nature of the merger will require approval from the FCC, which will likely involve loosening longstanding ownership regulations.
—Marni Rose McFall Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
The announcement applies to all the military services and is the latest in a series of restrictions after years of military services loosening the rules on how troops can look, often at the request of service members themselves.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2025
Far infrared heat is highly effective in loosening tight muscles and joints.
—Michelle Stansbury, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Ingredients Directions Remove and discard the thin outer membrane on back of ribs by loosening it with a sharp knife and pulling it off.
—Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
Psychedelics offer unique ways to potentially relieve suffering by loosening that rigid self-focus.
—Christopher Timmermann, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
When companies like Meta are loosening guardrails, regulators must tighten them to protect children and families.
—Annie Chestnut Tutor, Boston Herald, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
The flexi-fit invisi drawstring, a clear, three-strand elastic sewn into the nape, allows easy tightening or loosening.
—Noel Cymone Walker, StyleCaster, 29 Sep. 2025
When so many of today’s complaints—the loneliness of young people, the torturous dating market, the loosening of community bonds—come down to interpersonal alienation, the idea of American culture returning to a primal, highly evolved signal of kinship and compatibility is tantalizing.
—Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
In other instances, the loosening of vaccine mandates has been reversed after outbreaks.
—Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
In due course the informality and loosening of the customs around dressing would take people all the way to grunge and eventually, in the new millennium, put CEOs of multimillion-dollar companies in hoodies.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
The loosening of the policy around police pursuits has drawn criticism from some, including longtime advocate Jon Farris, who previously lived in Milwaukee and whose son was killed as a bystander during a police chase in Massachusetts.
—Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Noun
The commonwealth has been without an operational freestanding birthing center since the 1980s, said Mary Kathryn DeLodder, director of the Kentucky Birth Coalition — a grassroots organization that led the charge in advocating for legislation loosening regulations for the facilities.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
Earlier this week, hedge fund billionaire David Tepper issued a stern warning that loosening too much risks more inflation and poses other dangers to the economy and markets.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025
The nature of the merger will require approval from the FCC, which will likely involve loosening longstanding ownership regulations.
—Marni Rose McFall Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
The announcement applies to all the military services and is the latest in a series of restrictions after years of military services loosening the rules on how troops can look, often at the request of service members themselves.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2025
Far infrared heat is highly effective in loosening tight muscles and joints.
—Michelle Stansbury, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Ingredients Directions Remove and discard the thin outer membrane on back of ribs by loosening it with a sharp knife and pulling it off.
—Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
Psychedelics offer unique ways to potentially relieve suffering by loosening that rigid self-focus.
—Christopher Timmermann, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
When companies like Meta are loosening guardrails, regulators must tighten them to protect children and families.
—Annie Chestnut Tutor, Boston Herald, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosening
Verb
-
This spot is perfect for relaxing and reflecting on the serenity all around.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Sep. 2025
-
The policy mix—ending EV credits while relaxing other regulatory pressures—reduces the incentive for legacy OEMs to push EV volume, further chilling near‑term supplier investment even as global rivals continue cost-down cycles.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Chiefs set up the fourth-and-1 dagger to Brown with a bootleg, freeing Mahomes to roll out to his right and complete the throw on the run.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
29 Sep. 2025
-
These include freeing up money that can be spent on other parts of the car, such as aerodynamic development.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In the other monologue, Ray drunkenly tells a story about unleashing scatological revenge on an abusive priest.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Large language models are unleashing a flood of slop that is threatening to degrade or even kill the internet.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The film, featuring Martin and John Candy, would go on to become a classic, effectively easing all fears.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
-
The magnesium spray helps keep your Activator Gel moist during session while easing post-workout soreness by penetrating its nutrients deep into the skin.—
Francesca Krempa,
StyleCaster,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Taylor Swift is releasing an 89-minute film to theaters this weekend that will include a music video, lyric videos and commentary from her on the new album.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Instead of releasing Guevara, the Board of Immigration Appeals reopened Guevara’s 13-year-old immigration case, which had been closed and authorized him to work in the US.—
Liam Reilly,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Tesla doors have been at the center of several crash cases because the battery powering the unlocking mechanism can be destroyed in a fire and the manual releases that override that system are difficult to find.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Meanwhile, what may be the oldest drawing of a birth chart was found in a cave in Croatia, dating back more than 2,000 years, which suggests an early interest in harnessing astrology as a tool for unlocking knowledge about the individual.—
Lisa Stardust,
Vogue,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Emptying the dust cup was simple thanks to clear arrow indicators, although detaching it from the wand first added a small inconvenience.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
25 Sep. 2025
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That means hanging out with old friends less, making more of an effort to meet new ones, letting go of some old hobbies to explore new ones, detaching from my hometown and maybe even getting a new job.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Reframing failure in this way is liberating.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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Still, not every architect involved has found the project’s carte blanche approach liberating.—
Siobhan Reid,
Robb Report,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loosening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosening. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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