worked free
- loosenedMade less tight
- freedReleased from confinement
- escapedGot away from confinement
- untangledSeparated what was knotted
- priedForced open or intruded
wiggled · released · dislodged · extracted · wriggled · unstuck · liberated · slipped · budged · unfastened · detached · struggled · twisted · pulled · jiggled · unbound · broke loose · squirmed
direction of gradual process
worked freelodged
Fixed firmly within
dug in · settled in · sank in · tightened up