Loslösen

Loslösen is a German verb that means to detach, loosen, or disengage. It combines los, meaning loose or free, with lösen, to loosen or release. In everyday language it can refer to physical actions (loosening a bolt, detaching a component) as well as figurative uses (loslösen oneself from obligations or from a relationship).

In technical and everyday contexts, loslösen describes the physical separation of parts or objects, such as a mechanism that loosens under strain or a component that becomes detached. It can also describe processes of release or unbinding in a non-technical sense, for example when someone frees themselves from a constraint or a restrictive situation.

In psychology and social theory, loslösen (or Loslösung) denotes the process of detachment and independence from previously attached roles, relationships, or identities. In German-speaking psychology, it is associated with separation-individuation and the development of personal autonomy, often discussed in adolescence or during major life transitions. In sociology, the term can refer to the gradual disengagement from traditional social structures and the rise of individualization within modern societies.

In philosophy or spiritual contexts, loslösen may be used to describe liberation from dogma, attachment, or fixed beliefs. The noun forms include Loslösung (the act or process of detaching) and losgelöst (detached or liberated) as adjectives.

Overall, loslösen is a versatile term spanning mechanical, psychological, social, and figurative uses, centered on the idea of freeing or detaching from something previously bound.