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
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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)
Emily Orofino, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2025
And though this slick east-side restaurant has loosened up a bit, the razor-sharp staff still runs the place like the fine-dining spectacle it's been for 20 years, with perfect pacing and so much poise.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Parker’s series starts out with too much bellowing and yelling along with hazing and bullying but loosens up and broadens out to peer into the lives of other recruits who are wrestling with demons and sometimes each other.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Part of that is loosening up streamers’ bids for lengthy contract terms on series, potentially in exchange for less money.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loosen (up)
Verb
Be sure to spend plenty of time massaging the cleanser into your skin, which will allow the blend of oils and plant extracts to loosen up the congestion in your pores.
—Emily Orofino, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2025
And though this slick east-side restaurant has loosened up a bit, the razor-sharp staff still runs the place like the fine-dining spectacle it's been for 20 years, with perfect pacing and so much poise.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Parker’s series starts out with too much bellowing and yelling along with hazing and bullying but loosens up and broadens out to peer into the lives of other recruits who are wrestling with demons and sometimes each other.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Part of that is loosening up streamers’ bids for lengthy contract terms on series, potentially in exchange for less money.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loosen (up)
Cite this Entry
“Loosen (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosen%20%28up%29. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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