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
But these efforts struggled to loosen Iran’s grip, which remains deeply embedded.
—
Alaa Shahine Salha, semafor.com, 30 Apr. 2026
The Supreme Court loosened a provision of the Voting Rights Act that restricted redrawing congressional districts on the basis of race.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Erdoğan centralized power around himself but also pushed for loosening the country’s borders and extending Turkey’s influence into the region—into Syria, Iraq, Libya, Azerbaijan, and beyond—as a crucial part of Turkey’s new mission and ideology.
—Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
An equal-parts mix of vinegar and water can make a good solution for breaking down these deposits and loosening them enough to easily scrub away the residue.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
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.
Alaa Shahine Salha, semafor.com, 30 Apr. 2026
The Supreme Court loosened a provision of the Voting Rights Act that restricted redrawing congressional districts on the basis of race.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Erdoğan centralized power around himself but also pushed for loosening the country’s borders and extending Turkey’s influence into the region—into Syria, Iraq, Libya, Azerbaijan, and beyond—as a crucial part of Turkey’s new mission and ideology.
—Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
An equal-parts mix of vinegar and water can make a good solution for breaking down these deposits and loosening them enough to easily scrub away the residue.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for loosen
Cite this Entry
“Loosen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loosen. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
