Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense loosens, present participle loosening, past tense, past participle loosened
1. verb
If someone loosens restrictions or laws, for example, they make them less strict or severe.
Many business groups have been pressing the Federal Reserve to loosen interest rates. [VERB noun]
Drilling regulations, too, have been loosened to speed the development of the fields. [VERB noun]
looseningsingular noun
Domestic conditions did not justify a loosening of monetary policy. [+ of]
2. verb
If someone or something loosens the ties between people or groups of people, or if the ties loosen, they become weaker.
The Federal Republic must loosen its ties with the United States. [VERB noun]
The deputy leader is cautious about loosening the links with the unions. [VERB noun]
The ties that bind them together are loosening. [VERB]
Synonyms: slacken, ease, work free, work loose More Synonyms of loosen
3. verb
If you loosen your clothing or something that is tied or fastened or if it loosens, you undo it slightly so that it is less tight or less firmly held in place.
He reached up to loosen the scarf around his neck. [VERB noun]
Loosen the bolt so the bars can be turned. [VERB noun]
Her hair had loosened and was tangled around her shoulders. [VERB]
Synonyms: untie, undo, release, separate More Synonyms of loosen
4. verb
If you loosen something that is stretched across something else, you make it less stretched or tight.
Insert a small knife into the top of the chicken breast to loosen the skin. [VERB noun]
5. verb
If you loosen your grip on something, or if your grip loosens, you hold it less tightly.
Harry loosened his grip momentarily and Anna wriggled free. [VERB noun]
When his grip loosened she eased herself away. [VERB]
6. verb
If a government or organization loosens its grip on a group of people or an activity, or if its grip loosens, it begins to have less control over it.
There is no sign that the Party will loosen its tight grip on the country. [VERB noun]
The President's own grip on power has loosened. [VERB]
Synonyms: weaken, relax, lessen, release More Synonyms of loosen
7.
See loosen someone's tongue
Phrasal verbs:
See loosen up
loosen in British English
(ˈluːsən)
verb
1.
to make or become less tight, fixed, etc
2. (often foll by up)
to make or become less firm, compact, or rigid
3. (transitive)
to untie
4. (transitive)
to let loose; set free
5. (often foll by up)
to make or become less strict, severe, etc
6. (transitive)
to rid or relieve (the bowels) of constipation
Derived forms
loosener (ˈloosener)
noun
Word origin
C14: from loose
loosen in American English
(ˈlusən)
verb transitive, verb intransitive
to make or become loose or looser
; specif.,
a.
to free from confinement or restraint; unbind, unfasten, etc.
b.
to make less taut, less compact, etc.
Idioms:
loosen up
Derived forms
loosener (ˈloosener)
noun
Examples of 'loosen' in a sentence
loosen
Carefully spread the butter under the loosened skin of the turkey.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This will loosen the grip they have on you.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Subsequent work helped to hasten the loosening of government control over broadcasting.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Some nights no one seemed willing to loosen the hold that sounds had on us.
Goshgarian, Gary Exploring language (6th edn) (1995)
The idea was to loosen the bolts of our thinking.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The chances of a loosening in monetary policy are slim while those price pressures remain.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Little by little their tongues loosened up.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
You may want to go for a gentle run to loosen the muscles and calm the nerves.
The Sun (2013)
Mix together well to loosen the mixture slightly.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
When you have some time off you have to loosen up a bit.
The Sun (2014)
We must not loosen the tight grip on tax and spending.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The architects of that boom will not loosen their grip without a fight.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
So there will be no loosening of controls on spending or public sector pay.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It was perhaps in making his salute to her that he loosened his hold on the monkey.
Frances Hodgson Burnett A Little Princess (1905)
This will help to loosen the skins.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The heat is said to loosen the muscles for stunning feats of flexibility.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
They leave the chewing gum but loosen it a bit.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The quid pro quo is that the union must loosen the reins of power.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Protesters have spent six months demanding the king loosen his grip on power.
The Sun (2011)
And how can we loosen its oppressive hold on our lives?
Christianity Today (2000)
The collagen bonds are loosened so the skin tightens.
The Sun (2008)
Doing so will provide them with more leeway to loosen policy should global conditions take a sharp turn for the worse.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In other languages
loosen
British English: loosen VERB
restrictions If someone loosens restrictions or laws, for example, they make them less strict or severe.
Many groups are pressing the government to loosen interest rates.
American English: loosen
Brazilian Portuguese: afrouxar
Chinese: 放宽 >限制或法律
European Spanish: suavizar
French: assouplir
German: lockern
Italian: allentare
Japanese: 緩和する
Korean: 완화하다
European Portuguese: afrouxar
Latin American Spanish: suavizar
British English: loosen VERB
clothing If you loosen your clothing or something that is tied or fastened, you undo it slightly so that it is less tight or less firmly held in place.
He reached up to loosen the scarf around his neck.
American English: loosen
Brazilian Portuguese: desatar
Chinese: 松开 >限制或法律
European Spanish: aflojar
French: desserrer
German: lösen
Italian: allentare
Japanese: 緩める
Korean: 풀어 헐겁게 하다
European Portuguese: desatar
Latin American Spanish: aflojar
Definition of 'loosen'
Chinese translation of 'loosen'
loosen
(ˈluːsn)
vt
(= undo)
[screw, nuts]拧(擰)松(鬆) (nǐngsōng)
[clothing, belt, tie etc]松(鬆)开(開) (sōngkāi)
(= relax)[restrictions, laws]放松(鬆) (fàngsōng)
to loosen one's grip on sth[object]对(對)紧(緊)抓的某物稍稍松(鬆)手 (duì jǐn zhuā de mǒuwù shāoshāo sōngshǒu) [power, people]放松(鬆)对(對)某物的掌控 (fàngsōng duì mǒuwù de zhǎngkòng)
1 (verb)
Definition
to untie
He loosened the scarf around his neck.
Synonyms
untie
Nicholas untied the boat from her mooring.
undo
I managed to undo a corner of the parcel.
release
He was released from custody the next day.
separate
detach
Detach the bottom part from the form and keep it for reference.
let out
unstick
slacken
unbind
Many cultures have strict rules about women displaying unbound hair.
work free
work loose
unloose
2 (verb)
Definition
to make or become less tight
The ties that bind them are loosening.
Synonyms
slacken
ease
The heavy snow had eased a little.
work free
work loose
3 (verb)
Definition
to make or become less firm, compact, or rigid
There is no sign that the Party will loosen its grip on the country.
Synonyms
weaken
Her opponents believe that her authority has been fatally weakened.
relax
He gradually relaxed his grip on the arms of the chair.
lessen
Keep immunisations up to date to lessen the risk of serious illness.
release
reduce
Consumption is being reduced by 25 per cent.
slacken
Her grip slackened on his arm.
phrasal verb
See loosen up
Additional synonyms
in the sense of detach
Definition
to disengage and separate
Detach the bottom part from the form and keep it for reference.
Synonyms
separate,
free,
remove,
divide,
isolate,
cut off,
sever,
loosen,
segregate,
disconnect,
tear off,
disengage,
disentangle,
unfasten,
disunite,
uncouple,
unhitch,
disjoin,
unbridle
in the sense of ease
Definition
to make or become less difficult or severe
The heavy snow had eased a little.
Synonyms
reduce,
moderate,
weaken,
diminish,
decrease,
slow down,
dwindle,
lessen,
die down,
abate,
slacken,
grow less,
de-escalate
in the sense of lessen
Definition
to make or become less
Keep immunisations up to date to lessen the risk of serious illness.
Synonyms
reduce,
lower,
diminish,
decrease,
relax,
ease,
narrow,
moderate,
dial down,
weaken,
erode,
impair,
degrade,
minimize,
curtail,
lighten,
wind down,
abridge,
de-escalate
Synonyms of 'loosen'
loosen
Explore 'loosen' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of reduce
Definition
to weaken or lessen
Consumption is being reduced by 25 per cent.
Synonyms
lessen,
cut,
contract,
lower,
depress,
moderate,
dial down,
weaken,
diminish,
turn down,
decrease,
slow down,
cut down,
shorten,
dilute,
impair,
curtail,
wind down,
abate,
tone down,
debase,
truncate,
abridge,
downsize,
downscale,
kennet (Australian, slang),
jeff (Australian, slang)
in the sense of relax
Definition
to lessen the intensity of
He gradually relaxed his grip on the arms of the chair.
Synonyms
lessen,
reduce,
ease,
relieve,
weaken,
loosen,
let up,
slacken
in the sense of release
Definition
to free (a person or animal) from captivity or imprisonment
He was released from custody the next day.
Synonyms
set free,
free,
discharge,
liberate,
drop,
deliver,
loose,
let go,
undo,
let out,
extricate,
untie,
disengage,
emancipate,
unchain,
unfasten,
turn loose,
unshackle,
unloose,
unfetter,
unbridle,
manumit
in the sense of unbind
Definition
to unfasten or untie
Many cultures have strict rules about women displaying unbound hair.