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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of loosen (up)
Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 15 Apr. 2026
Dig a hole that’s four times the diameter and three times as deep as the nursery container to loosen up the soil.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 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
See All Example Sentences for loosen (up)
Verb
But overall, the dutiful Queen seemed to loosen up in the more casual America.
—Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 15 Apr. 2026
Dig a hole that’s four times the diameter and three times as deep as the nursery container to loosen up the soil.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 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
See All Example Sentences for loosen (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosen (up)
Verb
-
And all of that will be facilitated by board of trade discussions with the Chinese.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
-
There’s also a spacious indoor area filled with educational toys and games, and the friendly staff facilitate thoughtful activities like Nautical Knot Tying, Anguillan Boat Racing, nature walks, steel drum lessons, and sports including soccer, basketball, volleyball, and pickleball.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Indigenous peoples in the area have been coming there for 1000s of years to soak and take advantage of the waters, and so there’s been a hotel or some manner of resort there since the late eighteen hundreds, welcoming people to come and take the waters and relax and enjoy.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
15 May 2026
-
In Finland, some of the most sincere and open conversations happen inside and between sauna sessions, when everyone is relaxed and stripped of egos, titles and status.—
Brad Japhe,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loosen (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosen%20%28up%29. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
