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.
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 To my eye, Zurek has almost tied up the loose ends that have been confounding physics for 100 years, without invoking any substantially new or speculative assumptions. Quanta Magazine, 13 Feb. 2026 More importantly, this final job will collectively involve all of the main characters together and lead to a climax that helps tie every loose end together, reward the just and bring the unjust to justice. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 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 2 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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