loosen

[ loo-suhn ]
See synonyms for: loosenloosenedlooseningloosens on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to unfasten or undo, as a bond or fetter.

  2. to make less tight; slacken or relax: to loosen one's grasp.

  1. to make less firmly fixed in place: to loosen a tooth.

  2. to let loose or set free from bonds, restraint, or constraint.

  3. to make less close or compact in structure or arrangement.

  4. to make less dense or coherent: to loosen the soil in a garden.

  5. to relax in strictness or severity, as restraint or discipline: to loosen restrictions on trade.

  6. to relieve (the bowels) of their constipated condition.

verb (used without object)
  1. to become loose or looser (sometimes followed by up): His hold loosened. Your shoes will loosen up with wear.

Origin of loosen

1
First recorded in 1350–1400, loosen is from the Middle English word loosnen.See loose, -en1

Other words from loosen

  • loos·en·er, noun

Words that may be confused with loosen

Words Nearby loosen

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use loosen in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for loosen

loosen

/ (ˈluːsən) /


verb
  1. to make or become less tight, fixed, etc

  2. (often foll by up) to make or become less firm, compact, or rigid

  1. (tr) to untie

  2. (tr) to let loose; set free

  3. (often foll by up) to make or become less strict, severe, etc

  4. (tr) to rid or relieve (the bowels) of constipation

Origin of loosen

1
C14: from loose

Derived forms of loosen

  • loosener, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012