loosely

adverb

loose·​ly ˈlüs-lē How to pronounce loosely (audio)
: in a loose manner
loosely attached
a collection of loosely connected stories
His shoes are set tidily together in a corner with his socks draped loosely across them.Felix Carroll
Texting freed a generation from the strictures and inconvenience (and awkwardness) of phone calls, while allowing people to be more loosely and constantly connected.Jenna Wortham
The novel is loosely based on the life of Georgia O'Keeffe.
Loosely translated from Japanese, umami means delicious or yummy.N. Seppa

Examples of loosely in a Sentence

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.
The protests are all loosely coordinated, happening almost organically online rather than organized and promoted by traditional activist groups or political institutions. Elizabeth Shackelford, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025 Place loosely, rather than pressed directly onto the surface of the food, and make sure the paper isn't touching any interior walls of the microwave. Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025 Failliet is a slang Dutch term that translates as ‘bankrupt’ so the name loosely means ‘finesse or bust’. Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025 This all said, there’s also only so much a limited, non-authoritarian government can do or should do about loosely held together political movements. Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for loosely

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of loosely was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Loosely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loosely. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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