as in facilitated
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 relaxed
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 loosened (up)
Irene Kim,
Vogue,
13 June 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
But France loosened up and Italy fired back with a Capuozzo try and a Paolo Garbisi penalty.
—
ABC News,
22 Feb. 2026
At the show's afterparty, Browne and his models—some still wearing the metallic hair adornments from the show—loosened up a bit as a DJ positioned in one corner of the tent attempted to manifest Latifah with a quick mix of her hits.
—
Eve Batey,
Vanity Fair,
7 Feb. 2026
Skarsgård explained that the same thing was applied to his facial expressions, to assure that the character loosened up over the course of the film.
—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Jan. 2026
Millions of Americans, especially the richest, took advantage of the ultra-low interest rates during the pandemic, when the Fed loosened up monetary policy to shore up the economy.
—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
27 Dec. 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
The previous week, Emily was at a sleepover at Heather’s house with Gretchen, when Gretchen, loosened up by shots of Fireball whiskey, revealed that Tamra once recorded a song, badly, according to Gretchen, with an unnamed boy band star that Gretchen claims Tamra got frisky with.
—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
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
But France loosened up and Italy fired back with a Capuozzo try and a Paolo Garbisi penalty.
—
ABC News,
22 Feb. 2026
At the show's afterparty, Browne and his models—some still wearing the metallic hair adornments from the show—loosened up a bit as a DJ positioned in one corner of the tent attempted to manifest Latifah with a quick mix of her hits.
—
Eve Batey,
Vanity Fair,
7 Feb. 2026
Skarsgård explained that the same thing was applied to his facial expressions, to assure that the character loosened up over the course of the film.
—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Jan. 2026
Millions of Americans, especially the richest, took advantage of the ultra-low interest rates during the pandemic, when the Fed loosened up monetary policy to shore up the economy.
—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
27 Dec. 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
The previous week, Emily was at a sleepover at Heather’s house with Gretchen, when Gretchen, loosened up by shots of Fireball whiskey, revealed that Tamra once recorded a song, badly, according to Gretchen, with an unnamed boy band star that Gretchen claims Tamra got frisky with.
—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
27 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosened (up)
Verb
-
The AllHere deal was reportedly facilitated with the help of Debra Kerr, an edtech salesperson who maintained a long-standing personal friendship and professional association with Carvalho dating back to the 2000s, according to public records cited by the Los Angeles Times.
-
So far, the program has facilitated the births of about 490 children in 12 years, according to government figures.
Verb
-
The flexible pull-on waistband stays relaxed from your morning commute to dinner plans.
-
Restrictions on cleats were relaxed, so players could put social justice messages on them.
Cite this Entry
“Loosened (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosened%20%28up%29. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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