1
as in loose
not bound, confined, or detained by force
after having been chained for so long, the suddenly footloose dog ran helter-skelter about the yard
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in freewheeling
not held back by rules, duties, or worries
wished I could be as carefree as that footloose toddler
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of footloose
Of all the world’s footloose international students, 15 percent come to the United States, the largest share of any country in the world.
—
David G. Victor, Foreign Affairs, 28 May 2025
Defiant and determined to get back home on his own to his mother and grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in East London, George encounters real danger as a distraught Rita tries to find her footloose son.
—Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
The footloose couple performed on the opening night of the Symphony of Dance tour in Melbourne, Fl.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2024
Huppert plays a footloose and intense French woman at large in Korea and vaguely making ends meet as an untrained language tutor with eccentric methods.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 19 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for footloose
David G. Victor, Foreign Affairs, 28 May 2025
Defiant and determined to get back home on his own to his mother and grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in East London, George encounters real danger as a distraught Rita tries to find her footloose son.
—Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
The footloose couple performed on the opening night of the Symphony of Dance tour in Melbourne, Fl.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2024
Huppert plays a footloose and intense French woman at large in Korea and vaguely making ends meet as an untrained language tutor with eccentric methods.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 19 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for footloose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for footloose
Adjective
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The loose fit is perfect for layering, too, and packs down surprisingly well.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Oct. 2025
-
That said, shoppers note that the sweater is tight-fitting and recommend sizing up for a looser fit, similar to Paltrow’s knit.—
Melony Forcier,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The podcast format gives Tolbert a more freewheeling forum than radio.—
Jerry McDonald,
The Mercury News,
28 Feb. 2025
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There’s no legal argument to be made against this turn away from fact-checking and towards a more freewheeling, more disinformation-laden, more confusing, more hateful and less illuminating approach.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The United States will continue to partner with the Government of Lebanon to make sure that Lebanon is free, prosperous and safe for all Lebanese people.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
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The Jays will likely look to make a pitching splash via a trade or free agency.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The dress code was casual for the at-home event, with Khloé wearing a brown and white cow-print, loose-fitting onesie.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
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Best Restaurants Forte Restaurant Modern Italian dishes are on the menu at Forte, a casual spot in Kananaskis Village.—
Lisa Kadane,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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With Worthy back, the Chiefs offense suddenly seems unbound as well.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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Ideas flow when the body is occupied but the mind is unbound.—
Karen Palmer
September 19,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Footloose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/footloose. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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