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
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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of loose
Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2025
Secure loose outdoor objects that could be blown around or damaged by the wind.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025
Dalton Ross, EW.com, 29 May 2025
Another group of 10 wolves captured in Oregon was loosed in December 2023.
—Max Levy, Denver Post, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for loose
Adjective
The loose take encourages the actors to continually search and fall on their ass.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2025
Secure loose outdoor objects that could be blown around or damaged by the wind.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
Ro has loosed them upon the galaxy, striking fear into the heart of even the most stalwart Jedi.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 29 May 2025
Another group of 10 wolves captured in Oregon was loosed in December 2023.
—Max Levy, Denver Post, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for loose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loose
Adjective
-
Next, carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and use a microfiber cloth to wipe away all the loosened grime.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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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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However, if an employee purchases eligible health care items or services during furlough, they can’t be reimbursed from a flexible spending account until the worker returns to pay status and payroll deductions can be made.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Tourists are still enjoying Michigan's lineup of dynamic fall events amid Apple Month and Michigan Agritourism Month this October and are flexible to changing fall color patterns, said Nick Nerbonne, media and digital director for Travel Michigan.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This was the round when Liverpool lost yet again, Arsenal moved to the top of the Premier League, Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca lost his cool but gained a few friends and Manchester United won a fairly straightforward, drama-free match.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Looking for a free mini puzzle?—
Alexander Coolidge,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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And, planning for the future of the Crisis Now program coincides with an approximate $4 million budget deficit for the Health and Human Services Department.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
23 Sep. 2025
-
The analysis identified information, including the nature of the allegation, the approximate length of time between the incident and the beginning of formal proceedings, and the outcome.—
Katie Moore,
Kansas City Star,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In one of many tonally jarring subplots, Vince works out a scam to burn down his dead mother’s house in Brooklyn to collect the insurance money with the help of a corrupt fire marshal.—
Andrew Bernard,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The writer became inspired to counteract his complicity in a corrupt system.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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When the Braves failed to gain traction by early summer, the consensus among baseball observers was that Snitker wouldn’t be fired during the season.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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Arkansas coach Sam Pittman was fired Sunday, and defensive coordinator Travis Williams and co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson were dismissed Monday.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Slow-moving thunderstorms frequently unleash catastrophic downpours over the South Fork burn scar, a region still reeling from two fires that scorched over 15,000 acres and destroyed 1,400 structures.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
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McCasland will also unleash Anderson as his primary guard.—
CJ Moore,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loose. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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