loosening (up) 1 of 2

verb (1)

present participle of loosen (up)
as in facilitating
to free from obstruction or difficulty hoped that adding a second lane would loosen up traffic on that street

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

loosening up

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of loosen up
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

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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 loosening (up)
Verb
Beckham isn’t the only one loosening up their summer style with a lacy slip skirt. — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 2 July 2026 This can be avoided by squatting, stretching and loosening up your joints before jumping. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 2 July 2026 Men, once largely confined to safe tuxedos, began loosening up. — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 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 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 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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosening (up)
  1. facilitating
  2. relaxing
  3. winding down
  4. chilling out
Verb
  • In 2023, the Ukrainian government sanctioned him for allegedly continuing to engage with Russia, paying taxes to Moscow and facilitating business transactions through his liquor business in Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula which Russia annexed in 2014.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • Corporate hospitality has become a strategic asset, facilitating relationship building, dealmaking and international commercial diplomacy.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of facilitating
Verb
  • Iguanas are everywhere, relaxing around and even inside the pools—a further stamp of approval from nature itself.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 July 2026
  • But Wright was relaxing in a hammock when those words came to him; Thomson, in the stiff upholstery of the multiplex, is worse off.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Definition of relaxing
Verb
  • Amazon purchased the nine Atlas V launches from ULA in 2021, scooping up all of the launch provider’s unsold Atlas Vs as the program started winding down in favor of ULA’s Vulcan launch vehicle.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 7 July 2026
  • Almost two weeks after twin earthquakes struck Venezuela, most international rescue teams have either left or are winding down operations.
    — Catherine Ellis, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
Definition of winding down
Verb
  • The beds are large and comfy, and the rooms have plenty of space for chilling out after a long day.
    — Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 16 June 2026
  • Picturesque lake towns like Greenville and Naples are ideal destinations for water sports, boating adventures, or just chilling out on sandy shores.
    — Erinne Magee, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026
Definition of chilling out

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Cite this Entry

“Loosening (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosening%20%28up%29. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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