Synonyms of loose

loose 1 of 2

adjective

ˈlüs 

1

as in loosened

not tightly fastened, tied, or stretched

secure your neckerchief with a loose knot

Synonyms & Similar Words

• loosened
• slack
• relaxed
• detached
• undone
• unsecured
• lax
• insecure
• slackened
• unbound
• untied
• unattached
• baggy
• unfastened
• free
• saggy
• blousy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• tight
• taut
• tense
• restrained
• bound
• constrained
• attached
• tied
• firm
• fast
• stuck
• fastened
• jammed
• snug
• wedged

2

as in unconsolidated

consisting of particles that do not stick together

the car wheels slipped on the loose gravel in the driveway

Synonyms & Similar Words

• unconsolidated
• incoherent
• rough
• coarse
• separate
• disjointed
• disconnected
• unconnected
• granular
• nonviscous
• nonadhesive

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dense
• compact
• solid
• coherent
• packed
• connected
• compressed
• compacted
• sticky
• viscous
• adhesive
• gelatinous
• gummy
• gooey
• glutinous
• gluey
• viscid

3

as in flexible

not bound by rigid standards

we tend to be loose with the dress code when we aren't hosting clients at the office

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flexible
• relaxed
• sloppy
• careless
• unrestricted
• slack
• lax
• easygoing
• unrestrained
• lazy
• negligent
• irresponsible
• slipshod
• slovenly
• heedless
• neglectful
• remiss
• sloven
• derelict
• unfussy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rigid
• hard
• severe
• strict
• tight
• harsh
• rigorous
• stern
• restricted
• careful
• restrained
• exact
• conscientious
• meticulous
• scrupulous
• constrained
• inflexible
• fussy
• punctilious
• painstaking
• implacable

4

as in free

not bound, confined, or detained by force

there was a brief panic when the lion got loose from its cage at the zoo

Synonyms & Similar Words

• free
• escaped
• unbound
• at large
• unconfined
• unrestrained
• at liberty
• undone
• clear
• unleashed
• footloose
• unfettered
• untied
• unfastened
• unchained
• disengaged
• unanchored
• uncaged
• uncaught
• unbolted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• confined
• bound
• restrained
• caught
• unfree
• imprisoned
• enclosed
• inclosed
• caged
• bolted
• chained
• tied
• leashed
• anchored
• fettered
• penned
• fastened
• immured
• kidnapped
• manacled
• shackled
• kidnaped

5

as in approximate

not precisely correct

a loose guess about the size of the crowd at the outdoor concert

Synonyms & Similar Words

• approximate
• inaccurate
• approximative
• incorrect
• imprecise
• erroneous
• flawed
• inexact
• squishy
• general
• misleading
• vague
• questionable
• indefinite
• indeterminate
• distorted
• wrong
• off
• ballpark
• undefined
• faulty
• mushy
• uncertain
• false
• indistinct
• mistaken
• undetermined
• indefinable
• unsettled
• specious
• dubious
• doubtful
• unsupported
• fallacious
• inconclusive
• unsubstantiated
• indecisive
• disputable
• debatable
• unconfirmed
• invalidated

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accurate
• certain
• dead
• precise
• positive
• sure
• exact
• correct
• right
• sound
• true
• unquestionable
• dead-on
• valid
• definite
• incontestable
• undeniable
• decisive
• factual
• defined
• indubitable
• definable
• ultraprecise
• clear-cut
• veracious
• indisputable
• absolute
• irrefutable
• unqualified
• incontrovertible
• established
• confirmed
• determined
• supported
• errorless
• validated
• substantiated
• corroborated

6

as in corrupt

having or showing lowered moral character or standards

the loose life that he led in the years before he settled down and found his path

Synonyms & Similar Words

• corrupt
• degraded
• sick
• crooked
• warped
• degenerate
• decadent
• dissolute
• perverted
• unclean
• depraved
• spoiled
• debauched
• dissipated
• debased
• vicious
• rakish
• libertine
• unwholesome
• demoralized
• dishonest
• perverse
• bad
• reprobate
• wicked
• bent
• rakehelly
• evil
• rakehell
• immoral
• unscrupulous
• contaminated
• unprincipled
• jackleg
• tainted
• unethical
• cutthroat
• sinful
• nefarious
• iniquitous
• miscreant

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pure
• incorruptible
• uncorrupted
• good
• honest
• ethical
• uncorrupt
• moral
• principled
• righteous
• virtuous

loose

2 of 2

verb

ˈlüs 

1

as in to fire

to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force

the archers loosed a great volley of arrows at the foot soldiers charging towards them

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fire
• shoot
• throw
• launch
• blast
• squeeze off
• discharge
• hurl
• project
• fling
• toss
• sling
• blaze (at)
• cast
• heave
• pelt
• snipe (at)
• catapult
• hurtle
• lob
• pitch

2

as in to unleash

to find emotional release for

do not loose your pent-up frustrations on the next person who happens by

Synonyms & Similar Words

• unleash
• release
• give way (to)
• take out
• vent
• express
• voice
• act out
• air
• state
• ventilate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• control
• suppress
• manage
• handle
• govern
• check
• restrain
• repress
• contain
• curb
• tame
• constrain
• hold back
• smother
• quiet
• quell
• pull in
• rein (in)
• choke
• bottle (up)
• still
• soothe
• lull
• inhibit
• allay
• swallow
• stifle
• bridle
• strangle
• repress
• pocket
• muffle

3

as in to free

to set free (as from slavery or confinement)

the ranchers loosed the horses from their stables and into the paddock

Synonyms & Similar Words

• free
• release
• loosen
• rescue
• liberate
• save
• turn loose
• spring
• unbind
• enlarge
• emancipate
• manumit
• enfranchise
• discharge
• unfetter
• disenthrall
• disenthral
• uncage
• unchain
• ransom
• bail (out)
• parole
• extricate
• disengage
• redeem
• disentangle
• deliver
• disembarrass
• disencumber
• unshackle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• bind
• restrain
• confine
• fetter
• jail
• shackle
• handcuff
• commit
• enchain
• imprison
• incarcerate
• lock (up)
• trammel
• subdue
• conquer
• subjugate
• enslave
• manacle
• intern
• immure

4

as in to loosen

to set free (from a state of being held in check)

the storm loosed its full fury when it hit the coastline at high tide

Synonyms & Similar Words

• loosen
• unleash
• release
• unlock
• let go
• unloose
• unloosen
• express
• uncork
• air
• free
• liberate
• spring
• unbind
• emancipate
• manumit
• enfranchise
• unfetter
• unshackle
• discharge
• take out
• uncage
• unchain
• unmoor
• vent

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• control
• hold
• check
• contain
• restrain
• regulate
• govern
• tame
• curb
• inhibit
• constrain
• smother
• rein (in)
• bind
• bridle
• confine
• shackle
• handcuff
• hamper
• trammel
• manacle
• fetter
• enchain
• halter

Examples of loose in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Maybe the show simply wrote out the love interests for Howard, Charles and Mabel (leaving just Loretta, who Oliver now wants to marry ASAP in the building where there’s a murderer loose for some reason). —Erik Kain, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024

Instead of swinging bell-bottoms, the key is to opt for a loose, baggy fit similar to the denim shapes du jour. —Emma Spedding, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2024

Verb

In short, the situation with pants parallels the condition of Western politics: mere anarchy loosed upon the world. —Maya Singer, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2024

As open-source security was rising to become a top priority for CISA and the national security establishment, OpenAI and Microsoft loosed ChatGPT and generative artificial intelligence on the world. —Joseph Menn, Washington Post, 27 July 2024

Phrases Containing loose

• cut loose
• hang loose
• turn loose