loosened; loosening
ˈlü-sᵊn-iŋ 
ˈlüs-niŋ
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
: to become loose or looser
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
That jerking motion, combined with detergent and water, loosens dirt from the surfaces of clothing.
—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
Google may finally be loosening one of its most rigid account rules.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2025
Even so, the ties never really loosened.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 25 Dec. 2025
That can cause curl patterns to loosen or lose density.
—Hendra Jacobs, Allure, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loosen
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.
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
Google may finally be loosening one of its most rigid account rules.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2025
Even so, the ties never really loosened.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 25 Dec. 2025
That can cause curl patterns to loosen or lose density.
—Hendra Jacobs, Allure, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loosen
Cite this Entry
“Loosen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loosen. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share