loosen

verb

loos·​en ˈlü-sᵊn How to pronounce loosen (audio)
loosened; loosening ˈlü-sᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce loosen (audio)
ˈlüs-niŋ
Synonyms of loosennext

transitive verb

1
: to release from restraint
2
: to make looser
loosened his tie
loosen a screw
3
: to relieve (the bowels) of constipation
4
: to cause or permit to become less strict
—often used with up
loosened the rules

intransitive verb

: to become loose or looser

Synonyms of loosen

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Examples of loosen in a Sentence

He used a spade to loosen the soil. She loosened the cake from the sides of the pan. After eating so much I had to loosen my belt. When the meeting was over he loosened his tie. One of the screws had loosened a bit and had to be tightened. Each generation seems to loosen the established standards of behavior. Standards of behavior seem to be loosening everywhere.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In Antonioni’s film, after a woman disappears during a boating vacation, her partner and her best friend travel around looking for her, while the bond between them tightens and their grip on the threads of certainty loosens. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026 Congress should revive and advance the Americas Act as a bipartisan strategy to strengthen regional trade networks and loosen Beijing’s grip. — Bill Cassidy, Foreign Affairs, 19 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 As competence and sustained performance increase, those boundaries can gradually loosen. — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for loosen

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of loosen was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing loosen

Rhymes for loosen

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Browse Nearby Words

loose milk
loosen
loosener
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Cite this Entry

“Loosen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loosen. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

loosen

verb
loos·​en ˈlüs-ᵊn How to pronounce loosen (audio)
loosened; loosening ˈlüs-niŋ How to pronounce loosen (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
1
: to set free
2
: to make or become loose or looser
3
: to cause or permit to become less strict
loosened the rules

More from Merriam-Webster on loosen

Nglish: Translation of loosen for Spanish Speakers

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