loose end

noun

1
: something left hanging loose
2
: a fragment of unfinished business
usually used in plural
tying up loose ends

Examples of loose end in a Sentence

We still have one more loose end to deal with before we're finished with the project.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
As in his other novels, however, loose ends in many cases get tied up later on, and a seemingly chaotic tangle of yarns suddenly becomes cohesive. Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026 The post-retrograde shadow begins when Mercury stations direct on March 20 and lasts until April 9 2026, giving us a period to tie up loose ends before moving forward with new plans. Annabel Gat, Vogue, 26 Feb. 2026 More and more, Jackson seeks out biblical analogies and snaps them down like safety catches over the loose ends of his earlier life. Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026 Marquez’s sentencing was one of the final loose ends in a historic investigation that exposed corruption at the highest levels of Illinois government and brought down Madigan, the then-leader of the Illinois Democratic Party and undisputedly the most powerful politician in the state. Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for loose end

Word History

First Known Use

1546, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of loose end was in 1546

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Cite this Entry

“Loose end.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loose%20end. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

loose end

noun
1
: something left hanging loose
2
: a piece of unfinished business
tying up loose ends
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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