LOOSENING Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

loosening 1 of 2

verb

present participle of loosen

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

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

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

loosening

2 of 2

noun

as in unfixing

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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 loosening

Verb

In the late 1970s, Giorgio Armani stripped the structure out of the traditional suit, softening its shoulders and loosening its trousers. — John Vorwald, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026 Furthermore, loosening these restrictions risks igniting new supply friction. — CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026 Regressive health In recent years, state laws have been loosening on raw milk, despite a federal ban on interstate commerce. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 7 Oct. 2026 The service is launching as a pilot program with gradually loosening physician oversight. — Emma Roth, The Verge, 5 Oct. 2026 This beautiful retrospective volume shows a poet developing steadily, from the graceful descriptions and encoded trauma of the poems from the 1990s through the loosening music and political engagement of the books of the last ten years. — Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026 The pullout, however, leaves a new Iraqi government with the daunting task of loosening Iran’s grip on its neighbor, which has long been trapped in a cycle of sectarianism, foreign meddling and civil conflict. — Sarah Tamimi, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026 Perhaps, with opinion polls signaling a seismic snap in the other direction and economic conditions on the Great Plains so dismal, the Republican hold on rural America is loosening. — Kyle Paoletta, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026 These parties’ platforms vary, but both point toward repatriating competences to national governments, weakening European Court of Justice jurisdiction, and loosening the common rules that make EU commitments credible to outside partners. — Jonas Nahm, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026

Noun

Sign Up for Our Free Daily Newsletter The Department of Health and Human Services announced a loosening of restrictions on six unproven peptides on Wednesday. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2026 Following extended chat sessions, these users have felt a loosening grip on what’s left of consensus reality. — Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026 Langley has an iron grip on the country music world at the moment, and that grip shows absolutely no signs of loosening. — David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026 The debut represents a notable loosening up, arriving as the company prepares for a much larger expansion of its business. — Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026 Consider the loosening of enforcement of energy sanctions on Russia. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 16 July 2026 But over time, players and teams have pushed for a loosening of some restrictions surrounding the iPads. — Eno Sarris, New York Times, 16 July 2026 The Safety Debate That Didn’t Go Away Not everyone is convinced the loosening makes sense. — Allison Palmer updated June 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2026 As the Union-Tribune’s Lucas Robinson noted, that money was made available by an earlier loosening of restrictions on dipping into the reserve — a policy advanced by the Board of Supervisors’ three Democrats and opposed by its two Republicans. — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosening

Verb

No wonder Dad had been terrified of making a mistake, of relaxing or trusting others enough to let his guard down.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
If school is the equivalent of work, then surely time at home is for relaxing after work.

— Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of relaxing

Verb

Lanterns works so well in part because it was conceived as a standalone complete story, albeit one with ramifications for future DCU projects, thereby freeing up the writers to create something truly unique, with no forced, awkward tie-ins.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Balenciaga was best known for revolutionizing a new silhouette for women, creating something more freeing that would allow women of the day to wear his designs sans-corset.

— Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of freeing

Verb

Written and directed by Jeremy Slater, the film follows Jefferson Haddock (Bacon), who is called into an isolated witness protection property to deal with a terrifying demon, unleashing a force that threatens to end him and everything around him.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
In a statement, spokesperson Kollin Crompton said GOP governors and candidates remain focused on lowering taxes, unleashing American energy and keeping communities safe.

— Kevin Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of unleashing

Noun

His household becomes a microcosm of a broader societal moral decay, fuelled by detachment, indifference, corruption, complacency and the pursuit of comfort.

— Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Researchers found that these processes are also accelerating the glacier’s detachment from stabilizing ridges, leading to more rapid ice flow and deterioration.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of detachment

Verb

Lula can point to low unemployment and easing inflation, but those indicators have not changed perceptions for households struggling with everyday prices.

— Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
Mortgage rates fell this week for the first time since late August, easing some of the pressure on prospective homebuyers facing higher borrowing costs on home loans.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of easing

Verb

Compared to Geese, who spent years touring and releasing records before finally striking gold, Heathers has taken the sort of industry fast-track that makes conspiracy theorists start rolling out their corkboards and thumbtacks.

— Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 30 Oct. 2026
By storing heat during lower-price periods and releasing it when electricity becomes more valuable, nuclear plants could potentially improve the revenue earned from their generation.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of releasing

Verb

These include a faster editing system that allows users to correct incorrectly decoded text and a lock-screen feature that enables speech communication without first unlocking the phone.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
Geographically, Puig sets out to reinforce its business in EMEA, Latin American and travel retail, while stepping up growth and unlocking opportunities in North America and the Asia-Pacific region.

— Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of unlocking

Browse Nearby Words

looseness

loosening

loosening (up)

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Style

“Loosening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosening. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of loosening

verb

noun

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