loosen up

verb

loosened up; loosening up; loosens up

intransitive verb

: to become less tense : relax

Synonyms of loosen up

• relax
• hang loose

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

The audience laughed, and things seemed to loosen up even as various glitches in the program through wrenches in the evening, causing even more laughter. — Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 8 Nov. 2026

Previous studies have found that men with prostate issues or urinary complications could be better off sitting, pointing to the possibility that plopping down may help loosen up pelvic floor muscles. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 7 Nov. 2026

To reheat, add a splash of milk to loosen up the pasta, cover with foil, and warm in a preheated 350 F oven until the pasta is warmed through. — ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026

Steve Madden Lennox Taupe Suede After seasons of structured, second-skin silhouettes, boots are finally loosening up. — Camila Quimper, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for loosen up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup