LOOSENS Synonyms: 92 Similar and Opposite Words

loosens

verb

present tense third-person singular of loosen

as in relaxes

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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as in frees

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

as in unleashes

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

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of loosens When the lid loosens, LINE1 jumps around, DNA damage piles up and biological aging speeds up. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Oct. 2026 Fixing Loose Tiles With Hot Glue When tile loosens, one apparently clever home DIY is to reapply it with a hot glue gun. — Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 15 Oct. 2026 Wellhouse Leisure The full Schnierle system begins with airline-style track embedded in the flooring and a quick-press lever that loosens the seat base for repositioning and removal. — New Atlas, 22 Sep. 2026 Blonde loosens the plot, leaning into the unreliability of memory and the false truths that occupy the gaps between love and certainty. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026 In Antonioni’s film, after a woman disappears during a boating vacation, her partner and her best friend travel around looking for her, while the bond between them tightens and their grip on the threads of certainty loosens. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026 November 22 – December 21 Fresh laughter loosens rigid thinking and plans. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2026 Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Fresh laughter loosens rigid thinking and plans. — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2026 That's the day this work stopped feeling theoretical to me and became proof of what's possible once fear loosens its grip. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosens

Verb

Once normal breathing resumes, parasympathetic influence increases, and the body relaxes big time.

— Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
In the garden, Ball relaxes on a chaise longue with Tsuki and Bizet, the couple’s two miniature poodles.

— Plum Sykes, Architectural Digest, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of relaxes

Verb

The church unleashes a campaign—online and onsite—demanding the family’s religious freedom, and the most fervent outcry and mobilization come from the political far right.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026
Then Digory accidentally unleashes the evil empress Jadis (Emma Mackey, who played Physicist Barbie in Barbie) from a sleeping spell, and chaos breaks out.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of unleashes

Verb

And behind Vision’s back, Ultron ominously releases a carrier pigeon, sending a message to a mystery recipient.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
Mazal Group and the Weingartens and Odeds have denied wrongdoing, and the settlement releases them from future liability for the allegations in the case.

— Monika Evstatieva, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of releases

Verb

Final Thoughts By removing the camera, the Ray-Ban Meta Audio eliminates the privacy baggage of smart glasses and unlocks a far more practical everyday device.

— Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026
Bettors earn Unity Rewards points on every wager, which unlocks bonus bets and other perks for Hard Rock hotels and locations.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026