| v. t. | 1. | To make loose; to free from tightness, tension, firmness, or fixedness; to make less dense or compact; |
| 2. | To free from restraint; to set at liberty.. | |
| 3. | To remove costiveness from; to facilitate or increase the alvine discharges of. | |
| v. i. | 1. | To become loose; to become less tight, firm, or compact. |
| Verb | 1. | loosen - make loose or looser; "loosen the tension on a rope" Synonyms: loose Antonyms: stiffen - make stiff or stiffer; "Stiffen the cream by adding gelatine" |
| 2. | loosen - make less severe or strict; "The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught" Synonyms: relax | |
| 3. | loosen - become less severe or strict; "The rules relaxed after the new director arrived" Synonyms: relax | |
| 4. | loosen - disentangle and raise the fibers of; "tease wool" Synonyms: tease apart, tease | |
| 5. | loosen - cause to become loose; "undo the shoelace"; "untie the knot"; "loosen the necktie" | |
| 6. | loosen - make less dense; "loosen the soil" | |
| 7. | loosen - become loose or looser or less tight; "The noose loosened"; "the rope relaxed" Antonyms: stiffen - become stiff or stiffer; "He stiffened when he saw his boss enter the room" |