1
as in loosened
not tightly fastened, tied, or stretched
secure your neckerchief with a loose knot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unconsolidated
consisting of particles that do not stick together
the car wheels slipped on the loose gravel in the driveway
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3
as in flexible
not bound by rigid standards
we tend to be loose with the dress code when we aren't hosting clients at the office
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4
as in free
not bound, confined, or detained by force
there was a brief panic when the lion got loose from its cage at the zoo
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5
as in approximate
not precisely correct
a loose guess about the size of the crowd at the outdoor concert
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6
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards
the loose life that he led in the years before he settled down and found his path
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to fire
to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force
the archers loosed a great volley of arrows at the foot soldiers charging towards them
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2
as in to unleash
to find emotional release for
do not loose your pent-up frustrations on the next person who happens by
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3
as in to free
to set free (as from slavery or confinement)
the ranchers loosed the horses from their stables and into the paddock
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4
as in to loosen
to set free (from a state of being held in check)
the storm loosed its full fury when it hit the coastline at high tide
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of loose
Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
That’s a product of multiple factors, including the higher cost of hosting Champions League football last season, a high-inflation environment and generally being looser with the pursestrings.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Everything from arch support to ankle support felt stable, and the reliable traction was confidence-inducing on everything from slippery rocks to loose dirt, gravel, and patches of snow.
—Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 3 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loose
Adjective
With her hair loose and long, Giannulli showed off her family resemblance to her mom, Full House star Lori Loughlin.
—Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
That’s a product of multiple factors, including the higher cost of hosting Champions League football last season, a high-inflation environment and generally being looser with the pursestrings.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
When quantity is the most cherished currency, quality looses out.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Everything from arch support to ankle support felt stable, and the reliable traction was confidence-inducing on everything from slippery rocks to loose dirt, gravel, and patches of snow.
—Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 3 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loose
Adjective
-
Management identified a material weakness in internal controls related to verifying information from unconsolidated subsidiaries, which has been addressed with new procedures.—
Quartz Intelligence Newsroom,
Quartz,
1 Apr. 2025
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Related article Massive sinkhole threatens to swallow West Virginia police department Takashi Oguchi, a geographer from the University of Tokyo, said sinkholes are rare in Japan, where most roads are built on unconsolidated fluvial and marine sediments.—
Yumi Asada, Chris Lau and Minori Konishi,
CNN,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Dynamic governance models are flexible and responsive, with mechanisms for regular updates, feedback loops and continuous improvement.—
John M. Bremen,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
-
FineReader's screen capture utility, called ABBYY Screenshot Reader, remains the most effective and flexible way to extract text from anything visible in Windows.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!—
Stephanie Petit,
People.com,
2 May 2025
-
Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
2 May 2025
Adjective
-
The Tribune was able to calculate approximate amounts based on the language of the agreements and other public records.—
Lizzie Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2025
-
Aiming is still approximate, as it is triggered by a magnetic fuse, so the effects are unpredictable.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Rosamund Pike adds her name to the cast list, starring as a diamond seller whose family launders their profits through corrupt back-channels.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
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Countless cases have shown how these schemes have granted safe haven to corrupt actors from around the world and other suspicious individuals in the EU.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Remembering Molly Elliott, killed by Louisiana Death Row inmate Their killer is facing execution by firing squad.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
-
The sheriff’s office did not release details of what prompted the deputies to fire their weapons and did not say how many deputies were involved.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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As a result, players are rewarded for playing well by earning more AP and being able to unleash flashier special attacks.—
George Yang,
Rolling Stone,
23 Apr. 2025
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The games at the Coliseum should be high-octane with the Unicorns set to unleash a squad brimming with youthful talent.—
Tristan Lavalette,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
August reservations will be released on July 1 and so on.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
-
No other information about the incident was released.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loose. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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