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
Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 16 Oct. 2025
Critics of the loosening of standards also point to the ongoing Pentagon inspector general investigation into Hegseth’s alleged communication of classified information via the Signal messaging app.
—Davis Winkie, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
The flexi-fit invisi drawstring, a clear, three-strand elastic sewn into the nape, allows easy tightening or loosening.
—Noel Cymone Walker, StyleCaster, 29 Sep. 2025
When so many of today’s complaints—the loneliness of young people, the torturous dating market, the loosening of community bonds—come down to interpersonal alienation, the idea of American culture returning to a primal, highly evolved signal of kinship and compatibility is tantalizing.
—Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
In other instances, the loosening of vaccine mandates has been reversed after outbreaks.
—Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
In due course the informality and loosening of the customs around dressing would take people all the way to grunge and eventually, in the new millennium, put CEOs of multimillion-dollar companies in hoodies.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
The loosening of the policy around police pursuits has drawn criticism from some, including longtime advocate Jon Farris, who previously lived in Milwaukee and whose son was killed as a bystander during a police chase in Massachusetts.
—Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
Goldman also reported that the labor market is loosening, meaning there are more workers than jobs, to levels not seen in 10 years.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1340 after throwing his weight behind it in August when lawmakers brokered a deal allowing independent drivers to unionize in exchange for loosening companies’ accident insurance coverage requirements.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2025
The commonwealth has been without an operational freestanding birthing center since the 1980s, said Mary Kathryn DeLodder, director of the Kentucky Birth Coalition — a grassroots organization that led the charge in advocating for legislation loosening regulations for the facilities.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
The nature of the merger will require approval from the FCC, which will likely involve loosening longstanding ownership regulations.
—Marni Rose McFall Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Far infrared heat is highly effective in loosening tight muscles and joints.
—Michelle Stansbury, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Ingredients Directions Remove and discard the thin outer membrane on back of ribs by loosening it with a sharp knife and pulling it off.
—Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
Psychedelics offer unique ways to potentially relieve suffering by loosening that rigid self-focus.
—Christopher Timmermann, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
Rotem said that a major reason this mismatch continues to narrow is the loosening of stigma around secondhand.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 16 Oct. 2025
Critics of the loosening of standards also point to the ongoing Pentagon inspector general investigation into Hegseth’s alleged communication of classified information via the Signal messaging app.
—Davis Winkie, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
The flexi-fit invisi drawstring, a clear, three-strand elastic sewn into the nape, allows easy tightening or loosening.
—Noel Cymone Walker, StyleCaster, 29 Sep. 2025
When so many of today’s complaints—the loneliness of young people, the torturous dating market, the loosening of community bonds—come down to interpersonal alienation, the idea of American culture returning to a primal, highly evolved signal of kinship and compatibility is tantalizing.
—Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
In other instances, the loosening of vaccine mandates has been reversed after outbreaks.
—Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
In due course the informality and loosening of the customs around dressing would take people all the way to grunge and eventually, in the new millennium, put CEOs of multimillion-dollar companies in hoodies.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
The loosening of the policy around police pursuits has drawn criticism from some, including longtime advocate Jon Farris, who previously lived in Milwaukee and whose son was killed as a bystander during a police chase in Massachusetts.
—Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Noun
Currently, six out of these ten are triggered, including elevated price-to-earnings ratios, extreme outperformance of high-multiple stocks compared to cheaper ones, and loosening credit conditions.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
Goldman also reported that the labor market is loosening, meaning there are more workers than jobs, to levels not seen in 10 years.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1340 after throwing his weight behind it in August when lawmakers brokered a deal allowing independent drivers to unionize in exchange for loosening companies’ accident insurance coverage requirements.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2025
The commonwealth has been without an operational freestanding birthing center since the 1980s, said Mary Kathryn DeLodder, director of the Kentucky Birth Coalition — a grassroots organization that led the charge in advocating for legislation loosening regulations for the facilities.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
The nature of the merger will require approval from the FCC, which will likely involve loosening longstanding ownership regulations.
—Marni Rose McFall Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Far infrared heat is highly effective in loosening tight muscles and joints.
—Michelle Stansbury, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Ingredients Directions Remove and discard the thin outer membrane on back of ribs by loosening it with a sharp knife and pulling it off.
—Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
Psychedelics offer unique ways to potentially relieve suffering by loosening that rigid self-focus.
—Christopher Timmermann, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosening
Verb
-
Use planters, string lights, lanterns, and pillows to add extra color and texture to your relaxing outdoor space.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Magnesium supports sleep by relaxing muscles and calming the nervous system, whereas melatonin primarily helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle.—
Megan Nunn,
Verywell Health,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Follow what feels fun and freeing, not forced.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Thuram drags Tchouameni into the space on the left and Koopmeiners runs towards Cambiaso, freeing up Yildiz to receive in space.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Angry, resentful and financially struggling, the family ends up unleashing their rage and hunger on innocent victims.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Thomas saw two men – wearing Commanders’ jerseys – unleashing a flurry of punches on another man in a blue Giants shirt.—
Ed Lavandera,
CNN Money,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
His team were the dominant side throughout Saturday’s game, starting steadily before easing through the gears.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The reading brought a sigh of relief, easing concerns that the economy was facing a double whammy of a softening labor market with reaccelerating inflation.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The company plans to continue releasing updates as testing progresses, pushing its axial flux architecture toward the next benchmark in electric propulsion.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Other events included releasing chickens into a crowd that scrambled to catch them, with winners taking them home, according to one report about the town’s history.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Features like full-color displays, dual smart unlocking options, and the shocfree™ suspension system help make every ride smoother, safer, and more intuitive—freeing riders from the stress of traffic and unreliable public transit.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Using a digital wristband, visitors can personalize their journey by selecting a Hogwarts house and unlocking interactive moments along the way.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Emptying the dust cup was simple thanks to clear arrow indicators, although detaching it from the wand first added a small inconvenience.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
25 Sep. 2025
-
That means hanging out with old friends less, making more of an effort to meet new ones, letting go of some old hobbies to explore new ones, detaching from my hometown and maybe even getting a new job.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Detouring into satire would give that notion some pause and would give my writing some wings, liberating me from self-consciousness and untethering me from reality.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
-
But liberating humans from work would also mean liberating them from their paychecks.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loosening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosening. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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