loosening

verb

Definition of looseningnext
present participle of loosen
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosening
  1. relaxing
  2. freeing
  3. unleashing
  4. easing
  5. releasing
  6. unlocking
  7. rescuing
Verb
  • He can be seen relaxing, mingling with locals and waiving to the camera while on a stroll.
    Toria Sheffield, People.com, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Audible's format allows listeners to engage with these transformative ideas while commuting, exercising, or relaxing at home.
    Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Definition of relaxing
Verb
  • Moreover, automating processes with AI reduces the likelihood of human error, freeing cybersecurity professionals to focus on higher-priority tasks and enabling faster response times to incidents.
    Bankim Chandra, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Advertisement The first DNA exoneration happened in 1989, freeing a Chicago man in prison for a rape that never occurred.
    Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
Definition of freeing
Verb
  • Musk has also weighed in on the spending fight, unleashing a flood of misinformation on his social platform X about the stopgap bill that would have funded government through March.
    Joanne Haner, The Hill, 20 Dec. 2024
  • Congressional leaders Tuesday unveiled legislation to keep the government funded until March 14, unleashing a mad dash to pass the bill by the end of the week.
    Andrew Solender, Axios, 17 Dec. 2024
Definition of unleashing
Verb
  • Inflation for the super-rich is easing.
    Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Fortunately, in 2024, the trends were quite positive, including ongoing net payroll gains, solid consumption, positive growth, easing inflation, and falling interest rates.
    Jason Schenker, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Definition of easing
Verb
  • Fewer family-friendly or holiday-themed movies releasing on Christmas Day is not an entirely new phenomenon.
    Elizabeth Stanton, Fox News, 24 Dec. 2024
  • After Newport, Dylan kept performing and writing new music, releasing two albums in one year and continuing his shift from folk to rock.
    Grant Wong, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of releasing
Verb
  • Every mine removed is a step toward greater food security, unlocking the potential for sustainable development and resilient food systems in regions scarred by conflict.
    Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Data collection is the gateway to unlocking AI's transformative potential, and the decentralized approach is the future.
    Max (Chong) Li, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Definition of unlocking
Verb
  • Following the lifts automatic shutdown, ski patrollers set about rescuing each of the 174 passengers.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Over the past 24 hours, the coast guard reported rescuing 120 migrants in three separate incidents off various Greek islands.
    Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024
Definition of rescuing
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near loosening

looseness

loosening

loosening up

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Cite this Entry

“Loosening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosening. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on loosening

Nglish: Translation of loosening for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of loosening for Arabic Speakers

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