How to pronounce loosen
Say it like LOO-sun. Loosen has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce loosen. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LOO
- sun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Loosen pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- sunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of loosen
American and British speakers say loosen in essentially the same way: /ˈlusən/ in the US and /ˈluːsən/ in the UK.
British respelling: LOO-sun.
What does loosen mean?
- To make loose.“to loosen a knot; to loosen one's grip / hold on something”
- To become loose.“I noticed that my seatbelt had gradually loosened during the journey.”
- To disengage (a device that restrains).
Where does loosen come from?
From loose + -en.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying loosen
How do you pronounce loosen?
Say LOO-sun. The American pronunciation is /ˈlusən/. In British English it is /ˈluːsən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in loosen?
Loosen has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LOO). Broken into parts: LOO · sun.
Do Americans and Brits say loosen the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈlusən/ and the British form is /ˈluːsən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.