# loosen

/ˈɫusən/ (US) · /lˈuːsən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/loosen
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to make less tight

verb · CEFR B1

to make something less tight or firm, like a knot or a piece of clothing.

For teachers: to reduce the tension or tightness of a physical object. Transitive use requiring a direct object.

- He had to loosen his tie because the room was getting very warm.
- The mechanic used a specialized wrench to loosen the rusted bolts that had been stuck for years.

Usage: Commonly used with physical objects like belts, screws, or knots.

### 2. to become less tight

verb · CEFR B1

to become less tight or to come apart on its own.

For teachers: to become loose or unfastened. Intransitive use where the subject undergoes the change.

- The screw had loosened over time, making the chair feel unstable.
- As the hikers climbed higher, the soil under their boots began to loosen, causing several small rocks to tumble down the slope.

Usage: Used when an object becomes loose without a specific person doing it.

### 3. to relax muscles or rules

verb · CEFR B2

to make muscles less stiff or to make rules less strict.

For teachers: to reduce physical tension in the body or to relax the strictness of regulations and controls.

- The athlete did some stretches to loosen her muscles before the race.
- The central bank decided to loosen its grip on interest rates to encourage more consumer spending during the recession.

Usage: Often used figuratively with 'grip', 'control', or 'restrictions'.

### 4. to set free

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to let someone or something go free from being held back.

For teachers: to release from restraint, confinement, or obligation. Often carries a literary or formal tone.

- The prisoner was finally loosened from his chains after the war ended.
- The poet sought to loosen the bonds of traditional meter, experimenting with a more fluid and natural style of verse.

Usage: Frequently used in the passive voice or in poetic contexts.

## Examples

- He needs to loosen his tie after the long meeting.
- You should loosen the soil around the roots before you try to move the plant to a larger pot.
- The government decided to loosen its grip on the economy by reducing several strict regulations that had been in place for decades.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.