loosened

1. make loose or looserExamples: "loosen the tension on a rope"Synonyms: loose, loosenAntonyms: stiffen

2. make less severe or strictExamples: "The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught"Synonyms: loosen, relax

3. become less severe or strictExamples: "The rules relaxed after the new director arrived"Synonyms: loosen, relax

4. disentangle and raise the fibers ofExamples: "tease wool"Synonyms: loosen, tease, tease apart

5. cause to become looseExamples: "undo the shoelace"; "untie the knot"; "loosen the necktie"Synonyms: loosen, undo, untie

6. make less denseExamples: "loosen the soil"Synonyms: loosen