1
as in relaxes
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 frees
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 unleashes
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 loosens
The first step is the Body Pre-Exfoliating Foam that loosens dead skin cells, to be scrubbed away with the Exfoliating Body Glove.
—
Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Hot water melts solidified fat and loosens any lingering oils, so your dish soap can surround it and break up the mess.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 23 May 2026
Water loosens the soil around the roots, and facilitates extraction.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 11 May 2026
Why the Story is Bigger Than Finance The more interesting part of the company’s positioning begins once the finance label loosens.
—Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Once the gunk loosens, simply wipe the interior clean with a cloth.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2026
The jostling loosens her ties enough to make her drop.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Note the control and tightness of the hatched lines on the cheek, and the way the mark loosens with the locks of hair right next to it, like wind rushing around a building.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
The bill also loosens rules around building increasingly popular accessory dwelling units (ADUs) — such as granny flats, in-law suites or backyard cottages — alongside existing structures.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Hot water melts solidified fat and loosens any lingering oils, so your dish soap can surround it and break up the mess.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 23 May 2026
Water loosens the soil around the roots, and facilitates extraction.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 11 May 2026
Why the Story is Bigger Than Finance The more interesting part of the company’s positioning begins once the finance label loosens.
—Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Once the gunk loosens, simply wipe the interior clean with a cloth.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2026
The jostling loosens her ties enough to make her drop.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Note the control and tightness of the hatched lines on the cheek, and the way the mark loosens with the locks of hair right next to it, like wind rushing around a building.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
The bill also loosens rules around building increasingly popular accessory dwelling units (ADUs) — such as granny flats, in-law suites or backyard cottages — alongside existing structures.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosens
Verb
-
Keep words warm, yet clear and definite today so everyone relaxes sooner.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
28 May 2026
-
The new documentary includes footage of this shocking moment, showing Attenborough pressed to the ground as a young gorilla relaxes on top of him, seemingly unbothered by the man in their midst.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
Giving people autonomy strengthens their judgment, builds trust and frees the leader to lead at a higher level.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
This approach not only offers better value, but also frees up evenings for more casual, spontaneous meals, whether that’s tapas in Spain or aperitivo in Italy.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Take the Episode 3 scene in which Oreana unleashes her metal Maglight on her cheating boyfriend's pickup truck, a cinematic strike spurred on by her supportive friend Carter (Finn Little) urinating on the rig.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
-
At Sony Hall, as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival, Mdou Moctar unleashes riffy jams inspired by assouf, a fusionist Tuareg guitar music (June 7).—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
There is no explanation that eases the pain, no statement that can fully capture the grief so many in our community are experiencing.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
The Mandarin Grand Rooms perch between the 30th and 36th floors like a tranquil retreat in the sky; the frenetic financial district eases down below and, on cloudless days, Mount Fuji glistens in the distance.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Where Beyoncé added poetic interludes between songs, in Songs from the Hole, the audience learns about Jacobs' story and how his music spiritually liberates him while simultaneously being among the reasons officials cited for not granting him parole.—
Kara Frame,
NPR,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Nuclear fusion, like in the Sun, liberates 630 trillion joules for each kilogram of hydrogen fuel.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
How Insulin Resistance Works in the Body Insulin is the hormone your pancreas releases to move sugar out of your bloodstream and into your cells, where it is used for energy.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
-
Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch — an actionable afternoon update, just in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Barnett’s Bruin, in turn, unlocks those desires — Wills stages a haunting and sexy moment where Bruin does tai chi with a toy sword of power that’s probably thematically richer than anything in the He-Man film that’s coming out this week.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
-
Amazon Mesh Wi-Fi System Deal The Amazon Eero Pro 6E system unlocks the low-latency 6GHz wireless band to eliminate whole-home network congestion.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loosens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosens. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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