as in to facilitate
to free from obstruction or difficulty
hoped that adding a second lane would loosen up traffic on that street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to relax
to get rid of nervous tension or anxiety
a high-pressure job that makes it hard for him to loosen up even on weekends
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of loosen (up)
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
To loosen up the atmosphere, Amazon had open bars on all levels of the Beacon Theatre during its presentation.
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Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
18 May 2026
Pick up any grime the steam loosened up and wipe down the tiles as well as the grout.
—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
18 May 2026
The Hornets came out inspired after Hedrick challenged his team to loosen up.
—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for loosen (up)
Verb
Georgie pleads, but Meemaw believes that Fred might help Mary loosen up.
—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
To loosen up the atmosphere, Amazon had open bars on all levels of the Beacon Theatre during its presentation.
—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
18 May 2026
Pick up any grime the steam loosened up and wipe down the tiles as well as the grout.
—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
18 May 2026
The Hornets came out inspired after Hedrick challenged his team to loosen up.
—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for loosen (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosen (up)
Verb
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This is still a relatively new agency, but these states have come to rely on it and there's no other group that can really facilitate this level of information sharing.
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The Board is committed to ensuring that the revote is conducted fairly, transparently, and in full compliance with all applicable legal requirements, while facilitating a seamless Board transition prior to the start of the 2026–2027 school year in September.
Verb
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Marcy Park is a place where families, pets, and Highlands Ranch residents go to relax, and where Laura Nelson saw an opportunity to engage with her community.
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One of its earliest central promises was to relax Howard’s gun laws.
Cite this Entry
“Loosen (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosen%20%28up%29. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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