as in loose
not tightly fastened, tied, or stretched
the loosened nuts finally dropped off of the screws
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in relaxed
to make less taut
the lead climber loosened the climbing rope so that the other climber could have more room to maneuver
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in freed
to set free (as from slavery or confinement)
the dog ran after the squirrel after he was loosened from the post
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unleashed
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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of loosened
Tobias Burns, The Hill, 18 Dec. 2024
The man eventually loosened the binding on one of the woman’s hands and left.
—Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 11 Dec. 2024
The historic structure had become loosened from its foundation over time, and the work will secure it, Bradburn said.
—Michael E. Ruane The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 20 Oct. 2024
That said, the world’s richest sports league has loosened some of its rules in recent years.
—Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2024
In recent years, the government has offered considerable incentives and tax breaks, and loosened restrictions on auto lending.
—Afp, Fortune Asia, 15 Apr. 2024
Lagrange’s method, despite seeming like a mere mathematical convenience at the time, loosened the straitjacket of Newton’s mechanistic view of the universe as a sequence of falling dominos.
—Charlie Wood, Quanta Magazine, 25 Sep. 2024
Verb
Financial conditions have loosened.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 18 Dec. 2024
The man eventually loosened the binding on one of the woman’s hands and left.
—Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 11 Dec. 2024
The historic structure had become loosened from its foundation over time, and the work will secure it, Bradburn said.
—Michael E. Ruane The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 20 Oct. 2024
That said, the world’s richest sports league has loosened some of its rules in recent years.
—Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2024
In recent years, the government has offered considerable incentives and tax breaks, and loosened restrictions on auto lending.
—Afp, Fortune Asia, 15 Apr. 2024
Lagrange’s method, despite seeming like a mere mathematical convenience at the time, loosened the straitjacket of Newton’s mechanistic view of the universe as a sequence of falling dominos.
—Charlie Wood, Quanta Magazine, 25 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosened
Adjective
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Coated and plain, light and dark, slim and loose, stretch and rigid— Alberto De Conti, head of Rudolf Hub1922, said there are multiple trends at play.Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 7 Jan. 2025
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Hidden for hundreds of years under 50 cm of loose topsoil in the village of Salkaya in Elazığ province, 300 miles east of Turkey’s capital Ankara, the mosaic is believed to have been laid in the late 3rd century.George Nelson for ArtNews, Robb Report, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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After Stern retired in 2014, the code was relaxed, allowing for progressively zanier ’fits.Maya Singer, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2025
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And such a large cast, and so many children, all so at ease and relaxed together.Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The hostages were freed January 21, 1981, moments after Reagan’s inauguration.Arthur House, Hartford Courant, 30 Dec. 2024
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Fogel was left out of a massive prisoner swap in August that freed multiple Americans, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and corporate security executive Paul Whelan.Landon Mion, Fox News, 29 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Then, the massive devastation of Beirut’s port blast in 2020 unleashed a shock wave explosion that destroyed the cinema complex in the city’s nightlife district.Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Dec. 2024
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The transformative ride unleashed a range of emotions.Ashley Vega, People.com, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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If the rules are too slack, people take advantage of them.Dave Altimari, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2025
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Fernandes has no right to seize upon a slack backpass and lob Kelleher from about 40 yards out.Carl Anka, The Athletic, 7 Apr. 2024
Verb
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The store was shut during the COVID-19 pandemic and was reopened briefly after Shanghai eased lockdown measures.Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 6 Jan. 2025
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Unfriendly clouds loomed as the Star Breeze eased out of the lagoon.David Swanson, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In the National Academies' most recent decadal survey released in 2022, a panel of researchers recommended NASA continue with the MSR program but stated the program's cost should not undermine other planetary science missions.Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 8 Jan. 2025
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The individual, whose identity hasn’t been released, was quickly restrained by fellow passengers and later detained by state troopers.Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Celebrity hairstylist Renato Campora locked Winslet's strawberry blonde tresses into a low, undone bun using Joico Body Shake Texturizing Finisher.Lori A Bashian Fox News, Fox News, 6 Jan. 2025
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Her hair was parted in the center and pulled back in a low knot, with her curtain bangs curling up on either side of her forehead for an undone softness.Kara Nesvig, Allure, 3 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near loosened
Cite this Entry
“Loosened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosened. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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