What does "loosen" mean?
To make loose.
Loosen
verb
verb ·2 syllables ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To make loose.
- Grammar: loosen is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: relax, untie, untighten, abate.
- Useful contrasts: adjustable tensioning, clenched, compactest.
- Usage evidence: When will you ever loosen your purse strings?
How to use "loosen"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "loosen" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "loosen" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "loosen" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "loosen" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "loosen" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "relax" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "loosen", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To make loose. transitive
"to loosen a knot; to loosen one's grip / hold on something"
- 2 become loose or looser or less tight wordnet
- 3 To become loose. intransitive
"I noticed that my seatbelt had gradually loosened during the journey."
- 4 make loose or looser wordnet
- 5 To disengage (a device that restrains). transitive
"At Liberty th’ unfetter’d Captive stands, And flings the loosen’d Shackles from his Hands."
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 make less dense wordnet
- 7 To become unfastened or undone. intransitive
"Immediately my Shackles loosened and fell away of themselves […]"
- 8 cause to become loose wordnet
- 9 To free from restraint; to set at liberty. transitive
"This is an admirable Rule; a Painter ought to have it perpetually present in his Mind and Memory. […] it loosens his hands, and assists his understanding."
- 10 disentangle and raise the fibers of wordnet
- 11 To relieve (the bowels) from constipation; to promote defecation. transitive
"1626, Francis Bacon, Sylva Sylvarum: or A Naturall Historie, London: William Lee, Century 1, p. 14, […] Feare looseneth the Belly; because the Heat retiring inwards towards the Heart, the Gutts and other Parts are relaxed;"
- 12 become less severe or strict wordnet
- 13 To create a breach or rift between (two parties). obsolete, transitive
"I had rather lose the battle than that sister Should loosen him and me."
- 14 make less severe or strict wordnet
- 15 To sail away (from the shore). intransitive, obsolete
"[…] after the .iiii. day of oure arryuall in Britayne, the eightene shyps that we spake of before, which hadde the horsemen to conuey ouer, loosened from the further hauen with a soft wynd."
Antonyms
Example
"When will you ever loosen your purse strings?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "loosen"?
Common synonyms include: relax, untie, untighten, abate, aerating, backlashes.
How do you use "loosen" in a sentence?
When will you ever loosen your purse strings?
Etymology
From loose + -en.