as in facilitates
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 relaxes
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 loosens (up)
Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Snug at the hips and thigh, the silhouette loosens up at the knee into a true straight leg.
—Genevieve Cepeda, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
But mortgage rates could slowly come down once the tension in the Middle East loosens up.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Snug at the hips and thigh, the silhouette loosens up at the knee into a true straight leg.
—Genevieve Cepeda, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosens (up)
Verb
-
Therapy treats mental illness; coaching facilitates personal growth.—
Megan Bruneau,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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Along with the obvious reasons—the rich culture, history, and culinary heritage—Realtor reports that Americans with Italian ancestry who can trace their ancestry back no more than two generations can also apply for citizenship, which facilitates long-term residency in the country.—
Dobrina Zhekova,
Travel + Leisure,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Keep words warm, yet clear and definite today so everyone relaxes sooner.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
28 May 2026
-
The new documentary includes footage of this shocking moment, showing Attenborough pressed to the ground as a young gorilla relaxes on top of him, seemingly unbothered by the man in their midst.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
5 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loosens (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosens%20%28up%29. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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