LOOSEN UP

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does loosen up mean? 

• LOOSEN UP (verb)
  The verb LOOSEN UP has 5 senses:

1. cause to become unblocked

2. become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner

3. make one's body limber or suppler by stretching, as if to prepare for strenuous physical activity

4. become less tense, rest, or take one's ease

5. cause to feel relaxed

  Familiarity information: LOOSEN UP used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LOOSEN UP (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cause to become unblocked

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

loosen up; unstuff

Context example:

The medicine unstuffed my nose in minutes!

Hypernyms (to "loosen up" is one way to...):

disengage; free (free or remove obstruction from)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "loosen up"):

unblock (clear or remove an obstruction from)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

loosen up; relax

Context example:

our new colleague relaxed when he saw that we were a friendly group

Hypernyms (to "loosen up" is one way to...):

act; behave; do (behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make one's body limber or suppler by stretching, as if to prepare for strenuous physical activity

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

limber up; loosen up; warm up

Hypernyms (to "loosen up" is one way to...):

exercise; work out (do physical exercise)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 4

Meaning:

Become less tense, rest, or take one's ease

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

decompress; loosen up; relax; slow down; unbend; unwind

Context example:

Let's all relax after a hard day's work

Hypernyms (to "loosen up" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "loosen up"):

vege out; vegetate (engage in passive relaxation)

sit back; take it easy (settle into a comfortable sitting position)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody's (body part) ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue loosen up

Sense 5

Meaning:

Cause to feel relaxed

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

loosen up; make relaxed; relax; unlax; unstrain; unwind

Context example:

A hot bath always relaxes me

Hypernyms (to "loosen up" is one way to...):

affect (act physically on; have an effect upon)

Cause:

decompress; loosen up; relax; slow down; unbend; unwind (become less tense, rest, or take one's ease)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "loosen up"):

unbend (release from mental strain, tension, or formality)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The performance is likely to loosen up Sue