as in facilitating
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 relaxing
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 loosening (up)
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 June 2026
After the ceasefire, oil prices plunged and bond yields fell, loosening up some of the cost crunch for consumers and businesses alike.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Dulude suggests loosening up the food particles on the microwave walls by placing a bowl of water inside with half a lemon and using a high setting to boil the water.
—Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 2 Apr. 2026
Men, once largely confined to safe tuxedos, began loosening up.
—Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Inventory loosening up One sign the housing market is loosening is an increasing ratio of sellers to buyers.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
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
After the ceasefire, oil prices plunged and bond yields fell, loosening up some of the cost crunch for consumers and businesses alike.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Dulude suggests loosening up the food particles on the microwave walls by placing a bowl of water inside with half a lemon and using a high setting to boil the water.
—Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 2 Apr. 2026
Men, once largely confined to safe tuxedos, began loosening up.
—Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Inventory loosening up One sign the housing market is loosening is an increasing ratio of sellers to buyers.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosening (up)
Verb
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Intergovernmental organizations have an important role to play in facilitating dialogue, supporting alignment between regulatory approaches and encouraging shared standards that protect both innovation and institutional integrity.—
Ekramy El Zaghat,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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In a collection of tributes published by Options, a Malaysian lifestyle publication, Papermoon remembered Willie’s skills at facilitating connections among Southeast Asian artists.—
Leigh Anne Miller,
ARTnews.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Orange blossom Similar to lemon verbena, orange blossom is calming, antispasmodic (relaxing the muscles in the walls of your internal organs), and anti-nausea.—
Mélanie Defouilloy,
Vogue,
6 June 2026
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There’s also plenty of time for relaxing poolside and browsing boutiques built into the schedule.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Bonner sank a 3-pointer from the corner with the shot clock winding down to give Phoenix a 64-62 lead.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 June 2026
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Outgoing contractor Triangle Services, whose security division is known as Viking Security, has been winding down its operations in Minnesota, and Ramsey County was its last account in that field.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
What had seemed like a good way of chilling out was actually plunging me into a kind of crisis.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
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If holiday burnout has you in the mood for rest and relaxation, the star advises taking a break to enjoy one of her favorite holiday traditions—chilling out at home with the family.—
Essence,
Essence,
15 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loosening (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosening%20%28up%29. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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