loosen
Translation
to loosen, to slacken, to relax
Examples
He loosened his tie.
He loosened his tie.
The government will loosen restrictions.
The government will loosen restrictions.
Loosen up, it's just a game.
Loosen up, it's just a game.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to make (sth.) less tight Can you loosen this knot for me?
loosen up to become more relaxed and less serious You need to loosen up a bit.
Similar Words
Synonyms: slacken, relax, ease; Antonyms: tighten, fasten
Etymology
From the adjective 'loose' plus the verb-forming suffix '-en', meaning 'to make'.
Memory Tips
To make something more 'loose', you 'loosen' it. The '-en' suffix often turns adjectives into verbs (e.g., wide -> widen).