1
as in relaxing
to make less taut
the lead climber loosened the climbing rope so that the other climber could have more room to maneuver
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in freeing
to set free (as from slavery or confinement)
the dog ran after the squirrel after he was loosened from the post
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unleashing
to set free (from a state of being held in check)
once he got to know us better, his inhibitions loosened a bit
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in unfixing
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Recent Examples of loosening
Dawn Lerman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Lawmakers will debate bills related to loosening gun regulations at colleges in at least eight states this year, including Florida, Louisiana, New Hampshire, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Why insurance hasn't fixed the problem Insurance, the typical market mechanism for navigating risk, has proven largely ineffective for loosening traffic in the strait, some analysts said.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026
Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Countries around the world have scrambled to cope with the fallout of the energy shock from the Iran war, imposing measures from fuel export bans, loosening refining standards, and even getting workers to climb stairs instead of taking elevators.
—Lim Hui Jie,sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 15 Mar. 2026
Before planting, spread a layer 4 or 5 inches deep over the planting area and use a shovel or fork to dig down about 8 to 10 inches, loosening the soil and mixing in the compost.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Inventory loosening up One sign the housing market is loosening is an increasing ratio of sellers to buyers.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
In 2019, the Legislature passed House Bill 2458, loosening some regulations around the organization and authorizing the sale of promotional items.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
This basically turns it into a small T-style driver that provides extra leverage for loosening screws or jammed fasteners.
—Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 4 Mar. 2026
Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
The opening two weeks of the current fighting, however, have seen a significant loosening of the restraints on targeting critical infrastructure.
—Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
It’s also been exacerbated by increasing vaccine hesitancy, misinformation and the loosening of vaccination mandates.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
This reduction in anticipated Fed loosening has been more digestible thanks to former growth dynamics.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
Parker cited a report from the Police Executive Research Forum, which noted the increase in injuries and deaths in Milwaukee following a loosening of its pursuit policy in 2015 and in the years that followed.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Others moved in the opposite direction, using federal ambiguity to justify loosening requirements and politicizing vaccination policy.
—Richard Hughes Iv, STAT, 12 Jan. 2026
During his pontificate, Francis faced strong resistance from some conservative cardinals to some of his reforms, particularly on his loosening of rules banning divorced and remarried Catholics from communion and his welcome to gay Catholics.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
The latter deal requires a loosening of rules prohibiting broadcast owners from owning TV stations reaching more than 39% of the national television audience.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 28 Dec. 2025
Verb
That’s when something tightened, a brief, instinctual clam-closing and then loosening again just as fast.
—Dawn Lerman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Lawmakers will debate bills related to loosening gun regulations at colleges in at least eight states this year, including Florida, Louisiana, New Hampshire, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Why insurance hasn't fixed the problem Insurance, the typical market mechanism for navigating risk, has proven largely ineffective for loosening traffic in the strait, some analysts said.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026
Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Countries around the world have scrambled to cope with the fallout of the energy shock from the Iran war, imposing measures from fuel export bans, loosening refining standards, and even getting workers to climb stairs instead of taking elevators.
—Lim Hui Jie,sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 15 Mar. 2026
Before planting, spread a layer 4 or 5 inches deep over the planting area and use a shovel or fork to dig down about 8 to 10 inches, loosening the soil and mixing in the compost.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Inventory loosening up One sign the housing market is loosening is an increasing ratio of sellers to buyers.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
In 2019, the Legislature passed House Bill 2458, loosening some regulations around the organization and authorizing the sale of promotional items.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
This basically turns it into a small T-style driver that provides extra leverage for loosening screws or jammed fasteners.
—Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 4 Mar. 2026
Noun
What remains unknown is what Cuban officials are prepared to concede or change in exchange for the loosening of restrictions.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
The opening two weeks of the current fighting, however, have seen a significant loosening of the restraints on targeting critical infrastructure.
—Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
It’s also been exacerbated by increasing vaccine hesitancy, misinformation and the loosening of vaccination mandates.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
This reduction in anticipated Fed loosening has been more digestible thanks to former growth dynamics.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
Parker cited a report from the Police Executive Research Forum, which noted the increase in injuries and deaths in Milwaukee following a loosening of its pursuit policy in 2015 and in the years that followed.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Others moved in the opposite direction, using federal ambiguity to justify loosening requirements and politicizing vaccination policy.
—Richard Hughes Iv, STAT, 12 Jan. 2026
During his pontificate, Francis faced strong resistance from some conservative cardinals to some of his reforms, particularly on his loosening of rules banning divorced and remarried Catholics from communion and his welcome to gay Catholics.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
The latter deal requires a loosening of rules prohibiting broadcast owners from owning TV stations reaching more than 39% of the national television audience.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 28 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosening
Verb
-
Gear up for relaxing summer nights with this outdoor patio sofa.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Time to calm down with my favorite relaxing video.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Several years later, then-President Abraham Lincoln, a member of the Republican Party, issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, freeing all slaves living in Confederate states who were against the Union.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Mar. 2026
-
After freeing a man who was convicted in a pizza delivery driver’s slaying, the state’s Parole Board has rejected releasing an accomplice who fatally stabbed the food courier.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Since then, the icon hasn’t stopped unleashing her inner diva, continuing to grace the stage with her signature curls and bold eyes.—
Lauren Valenti,
Vogue,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The sun's powerful magnetic dynamo that drives sunspot activity and contributes to unleashing powerful solar flares and coronal mass ejections has been confirmed as existing 124,000 miles (200,000 kilometers) beneath the sun's visible surface — equivalent to 16 Earth widths' deep.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
North Korea banned all foreign tourists during the pandemic but has started easing the restrictions, with a Russian tour group entering the country in 2024.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
With no sign of Tehran easing its blockade of the strait, oil prices were back up and stock values fell.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
So, while the video might look dramatic, having an emotional reaction after releasing physical tension is natural, said Watrous, who was not involved in Rimes' treatment.—
Sara Moniuszko,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The data comes as Japan grapples with the fallout from the Iran war, with the country releasing oil stockpiles and enacting fuel subsidies to stave off the worst of the energy shock from the closed Strait of Hormuz.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Williams started to walk toward his van, unlocking it from a distance with a key fob, the suit states.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
-
For more than a century, an American birth certificate has been a key to unlocking the benefits of American citizenship.—
Devin Dwyer,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At the time of reporting, the company had received at least 68 reports of the wire bristles detaching from the brush.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Nexgrill is aware of at least 68 reports of bristles detaching, including five cases that required medical treatment, the CPSC said.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Today the artist, who is of Māori and Scottish descent, sees the irony of her first encounter — liberating the bird from a symbol of the culture that caused its demise.—
Tom Page,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
-
But is liberating to be able to laugh about such terrible things on screen.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loosening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosening. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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