loosen

verb
UK: /ˈluːsən/
US: /ˈluːsən/

  1. To make something less tight or firm.

    1. Loosen your belt after a big meal.
    2. You should loosen the soil before planting new seeds in the garden.

  2. To become less tight or firm.

    1. The knot will loosen if you pull on the rope.
    2. The regulations have started to loosen, allowing for more flexibility.

  3. To make someone feel more relaxed and less anxious.

    1. A few drinks can loosen people up at a party.
    2. The comedian's jokes helped to loosen the crowd and create a fun atmosphere.

Synonyms

slacken release weaken relax ease free
loosen intransitive-verb

  1. To become more relaxed in manner.

    1. After a while, she started to loosen up and enjoy the party.
    2. It takes me a little while to loosen up when I meet new people.
loosen transitive-verb

  1. To make something less tight.

    1. Loosen the knot a little.
    2. Can you loosen the screw for me?

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "loosen" in English means: To make something less tight or firm., To become less tight or firm., To make someone feel more relaxed and less anxious..

The phonetic transcription of "loosen" is /ˈluːsən/ in British English and /ˈluːsən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "loosen": slacken, release, weaken, relax, ease, free.

Example usage of "loosen": "Loosen your belt after a big meal.". More examples on the page.