loosely

adverb

loose·​ly ˈlüs-lē How to pronounce loosely (audio)
Synonyms of looselynext
: 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 group is considered an open cluster, as the 1,000 or so stars that comprise it are only loosely connected by gravity. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 9 Jan. 2026 It’s loosely defined as a beer that’s hard to find, very limited in production and/or availability and only available for a short window of time, often only in a single place or a small number of spots. Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026 One proposal gaining support at least among progressive members is a payroll tax, loosely modeled after a Massachusetts measure, targeting companies that do not offer employees health insurance. Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026 The Food and Drug Administration is also developing a new definition of these products, loosely understood to mean foods prepared with ingredients unlikely to be found on kitchen shelves at home. Sarah Todd, STAT, 7 Jan. 2026 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 10 Jan. 2026.

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