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
Stir in chicken stock and wine, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits.
—
Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 5 June 2025
The ruling Wednesday evening marked the latest setback for Apple in its long-running legal battle with Epic Games, which first sued the iPhone maker in 2020 in an attempt to force Apple to loosen its grip on purchases in apps that utilize its iOS operating system.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 5 June 2025
Dig up the strawberry plants by loosening the soil around their roots.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 June 2025
In March, Germany passed a 500 billion euro ($542 billion) stimulus and loosened government borrowing limits to pay for defense and infrastructure.
—Theodore Bunzel, Foreign Affairs, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for loosen
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 5 June 2025
The ruling Wednesday evening marked the latest setback for Apple in its long-running legal battle with Epic Games, which first sued the iPhone maker in 2020 in an attempt to force Apple to loosen its grip on purchases in apps that utilize its iOS operating system.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 5 June 2025
Dig up the strawberry plants by loosening the soil around their roots.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 June 2025
In March, Germany passed a 500 billion euro ($542 billion) stimulus and loosened government borrowing limits to pay for defense and infrastructure.
—Theodore Bunzel, Foreign Affairs, 30 May 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 10 Jun. 2025.
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