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
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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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Recent Examples of loosening
Shawn Tully, Fortune, 19 May 2026
The results suggest a broad surge in support for loosening restrictions on research into substances such as psilocybin and MDMA to probe their potential for medical use.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 13 May 2026
Using a butter knife, remove thin outer membrane on back of ribs by loosening and pulling it off; discard.
—Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
The Clog, then, is subject to loosening in 2026-27.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Becerra proposes to require cities and counties to approve or deny building permits within 90 days, loosening certain regulations for infill projects and reforming construction defect laws to encourage more construction of entry-level condos.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
By loosening that structure, dandelions help rainwater penetrate deeper rather than running off the surface.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
An equal-parts mix of vinegar and water can make a good solution for breaking down these deposits and loosening them enough to easily scrub away the residue.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
After loosening the soil, gently lift the clump out of the ground and remove any soil clods.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2026
Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Shortly thereafter, gaps between high and low performers began to grow at the national level, which many education scholars attribute both to the introduction of screens and the loosening of accountability.
—Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
Long Beach, Long Island, is holding a public hearing regarding the loosening of alcohol restrictions on its iconic boardwalk.
—Jennifer McLogan, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Chinese bonds may be reaching an historic turning point, with yields climbing from record low levels as deflationary pressures ease and expectations for monetary loosening recede.
—Iris Ouyang, Bloomberg, 5 Apr. 2026
Iran’s loosening of Hormuz restrictions opens at least an opportunity for Iraq to resume some seaborne shipments, though other hurdles remain, including a lack of clarity on when and by how much the nation’s oil fields can ramp up output.
—Patrick Sykes, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
What remains unknown is what Cuban officials are prepared to concede or change in exchange for the loosening of restrictions.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
The opening two weeks of the current fighting, however, have seen a significant loosening of the restraints on targeting critical infrastructure.
—Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
It’s also been exacerbated by increasing vaccine hesitancy, misinformation and the loosening of vaccination mandates.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
The Fed should shift from passively loosening to effectively tightening via its statements about its future course.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 19 May 2026
The results suggest a broad surge in support for loosening restrictions on research into substances such as psilocybin and MDMA to probe their potential for medical use.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 13 May 2026
Using a butter knife, remove thin outer membrane on back of ribs by loosening and pulling it off; discard.
—Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
The Clog, then, is subject to loosening in 2026-27.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Becerra proposes to require cities and counties to approve or deny building permits within 90 days, loosening certain regulations for infill projects and reforming construction defect laws to encourage more construction of entry-level condos.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
By loosening that structure, dandelions help rainwater penetrate deeper rather than running off the surface.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
An equal-parts mix of vinegar and water can make a good solution for breaking down these deposits and loosening them enough to easily scrub away the residue.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
After loosening the soil, gently lift the clump out of the ground and remove any soil clods.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
That potential loosening of residency requirements for supervisors was short-lived, with two other supervisors expressing misgivings about it.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Shortly thereafter, gaps between high and low performers began to grow at the national level, which many education scholars attribute both to the introduction of screens and the loosening of accountability.
—Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
Long Beach, Long Island, is holding a public hearing regarding the loosening of alcohol restrictions on its iconic boardwalk.
—Jennifer McLogan, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Chinese bonds may be reaching an historic turning point, with yields climbing from record low levels as deflationary pressures ease and expectations for monetary loosening recede.
—Iris Ouyang, Bloomberg, 5 Apr. 2026
Iran’s loosening of Hormuz restrictions opens at least an opportunity for Iraq to resume some seaborne shipments, though other hurdles remain, including a lack of clarity on when and by how much the nation’s oil fields can ramp up output.
—Patrick Sykes, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
What remains unknown is what Cuban officials are prepared to concede or change in exchange for the loosening of restrictions.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
The opening two weeks of the current fighting, however, have seen a significant loosening of the restraints on targeting critical infrastructure.
—Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
It’s also been exacerbated by increasing vaccine hesitancy, misinformation and the loosening of vaccination mandates.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosening
Verb
-
The Prince of Wales spent part of his summer in 1997 relaxing along the banks of the River Dee in Scotland.—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
-
That might mean booking a chance to buy beer from Belgian monks who like to keep things quiet, or relaxing on a Tuscan farm with a lager made from hops grown nearby.—
Jim Dobson,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
That meant that Baker & Taylor took on some of these tasks, helping to speed up the process and freeing staff members to do other work.—
Adeel Hassan,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
But that moment in the sun came crashing down when the Russian tanks rolled into Prague in 1968, and while Karlovy Vary endured, its return to splendor was delayed until 1989, when the Iron Curtain fell, freeing the region from Moscow rules.—
Steven Gaydos,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
In unleashing its high-end, Category 4, 150-mile-per-hour winds four years ago, Hurricane Ian cemented a reputation as the deadliest Florida hurricane in almost 90 years.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
An indictment against Castro – or other Cuban leaders – is widely seen as a potential first step toward upending Cuba’s political status quo, including unleashing military action on the island.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Georgia governor has signed a bill that expands the state’s medical cannabis program, easing access to cannabis vapes and removing the THC potency cap.—
Dario Sabaghi,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
Although such people live within commuting distance of Chicago and were encouraged to work remotely, some might relocate to less costly rural housing, easing housing shortages and lowering prices.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Within hours of Ben-Gvir releasing the videos, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands had summoned Israel’s ambassadors to seek an explanation for the treatment of their citizens.—
Nick Duffy,
NBC news,
20 May 2026
-
Levi’s went on a prolific streak of collaborations by releasing three collections with Nike and Jordan Brand from last July through January, and during that time and onward denim has been popping up on loads more in-line releases under the Nike umbrella.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Labor economists are skeptical of widespread automation in restaurants, warning productivity benefits are often modest compared to the cost of the new technology, and that truly unlocking benefits of AI in the industry requires a complete overhaul of operations.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
-
There are several archetypes and each one has its own path to unlocking flow state.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The potential supercycle is detaching the chipmaking sector from the rest of the market.—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
11 May 2026
-
There have been reports of the zipper slider detaching while in use in the United Kingdom.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Georgacopoulos has made a career out of liberating pearls from their classical, somewhat staid image.—
Kate Matthams,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
The conflict looms large over the film’s Kosovar Albanian teens — as does institutionalized discrimination against them — but Basholli’s intentionally blinkered focus, through the eyes of her 13-year-old protagonist, proves constraining and liberating all at once.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loosening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosening. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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