loosen up

verb

loosened up; loosening up; loosens up
Synonyms of loosen upnext

intransitive verb

: to become less tense : relax

Examples of loosen up in a Sentence

hoped that adding a second lane would loosen up traffic on that street a high-pressure job that makes it hard for him to loosen up even on weekends
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Instead, Paul grew a little tight on important points just as Cerúndolo, who had spent most of the match in that state, started to loosen up a little. Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 21 June 2026 The market could loosen up if mortgage rates were to ease, Ken Johnson, a real estate economist at the University of Mississippi. Max Zahn, ABC News, 17 June 2026 A lot has changed since then—the designer shuffle means most brands have new creative directors, and the men’s silhouette has certainly loosened up a bit (though maybe be coming back down to Earth). Irene Kim, Vogue, 13 June 2026 If the plant was root bound in its pot, consider pulling it out of the ground, loosening up the roots so water can penetrate, and replanting it. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for loosen up

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of loosen up was in 1922

Cite this Entry

“Loosen up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loosen%20up. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster