loosen

B1 · Intermediate

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

v. 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.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

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

v. 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.”

C1 · Advanced Literary

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

v. 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.”