LOOSEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does loosen mean? 

• LOOSEN (verb)
  The verb LOOSEN has 7 senses:

1. make loose or looser

2. make less severe or strict

3. become less severe or strict

4. disentangle and raise the fibers of

5. cause to become loose

6. make less dense

7. become loose or looser or less tight

  Familiarity information: LOOSEN used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LOOSEN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they loosen    ... he / she / it loosens   
Past simple: loosened   
Past participle: loosened   
-ing form: loosening   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make loose or looser

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

loose; loosen

Context example:

loosen the tension on a rope

Hypernyms (to "loosen" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Cause:

loose; loosen; relax (become loose or looser or less tight)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "loosen"):

relax; unbend (make less taut)

remit; slacken (make slack as by lessening tension or firmness)

slack (release tension on)

unscrew (loosen something by unscrewing it)

unscrew (loosen by turning)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Antonym:

stiffen (make stiff or stiffer)

Derivation:

loosening (the act of making something less tight)

loosening (an occurrence of control or strength weakening)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make less severe or strict

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

loosen; relax

Context example:

The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught

Hypernyms (to "loosen" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Verb group:

loosen; relax (become less severe or strict)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Become less severe or strict

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

loosen; relax

Context example:

The rules relaxed after the new director arrived

Hypernyms (to "loosen" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Verb group:

loosen; relax (make less severe or strict)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 4

Meaning:

Disentangle and raise the fibers of

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

loosen; tease; tease apart

Context example:

tease wool

Hypernyms (to "loosen" is one way to...):

disentangle; straighten out; unsnarl (extricate from entanglement)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Cause to become loose

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

loosen; undo; untie

Context example:

loosen the necktie

Hypernyms (to "loosen" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

loosening (the act of making something less tight)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Make less dense

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

loosen the soil

Hypernyms (to "loosen" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "loosen"):

scarify (break up)

fluff; ruffle (erect or fluff up)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 7

Meaning:

Become loose or looser or less tight

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

loose; loosen; relax

Context example:

the rope relaxed

Hypernyms (to "loosen" is one way to...):

weaken (become weaker)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Antonym:

stiffen (become stiff or stiffer)

Derivation:

loosening (the act of making something less tight)

loosening (an occurrence of control or strength weakening)

 Context examples 

But that did not loosen the jaws.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The earth round the spike had been left on the table, and a second sample was loosened and fell in the bedroom.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I was conscious of a dull pain, my grip loosened, and I fell into the garden below.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You’d better run up and loosen the topsails.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

I'm bound to say that he managed to get some fruit to us, and with his own hands he loosened our bonds.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She nodded, with a slightly arch expression, and loosened the scarf at her throat.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The threat might not have loosened Jim’s grip, but the voice did.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He was taking off my shawl in the hall, and shaking the water out of my loosened hair, when Mrs. Fairfax emerged from her room.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

As an ANG1 and TIE2 antagonist, ANG2 may counteract blood vessel maturation or stability by loosening cell-matrix contacts and inducing endothelial apoptosis.

(Angiopoietin-2, NCI Thesaurus)

He loosened his long-bow, slung his quiver round to the front, and then glanced keenly round for a fitting mark.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)