Noun: loosening loo-su-ning
- The act of making something less tight
"The loosening of the bolt allowed for easier removal";
- laxation
- An occurrence of control or strength weakening
"the loosening of his grip";
- relaxation, slackening, softening
- Become loose, looser or less tight
"The noose loosened";
- relax, loose
- Make less tight or stiff
"loosen the tension on a rope";
- loose
- Make less severe or strict
"The government loosened the curfew after most of the rebels were caught";
- relax
- Become less severe or strict
"The rules loosened after the new director arrived";
- relax, soften
- Disentangle and raise the fibers of
"She loosened the wool before spinning it";
- tease, tease apart
- Make less dense
"loosen the soil"
Type of: adjustment, alter, alteration, change, disentangle, modification, modify, straighten out, unsnarl, weaken, weakening