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
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Recent Examples of loose
Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Whenever possible, wear loose, comfortable clothing that does not add pressure to your stomach.
—Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 1 May 2026
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2025
Isaacs, a Jewish apprentice merchant from England, loosed the rope around his waist and jumped for his life, landing on the edge of the Zulu kingdom.
—Adam L. Rovner, The Conversation, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loose
Adjective
And the rest of the Timberwolves outhustled the Nuggets to rebounds and loose balls.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Whenever possible, wear loose, comfortable clothing that does not add pressure to your stomach.
—Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 1 May 2026
Verb
Candytuft is evergreen in warm Southern climes, but looses its foliage in cold northerly locations.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2025
Isaacs, a Jewish apprentice merchant from England, loosed the rope around his waist and jumped for his life, landing on the edge of the Zulu kingdom.
—Adam L. Rovner, The Conversation, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loose
Adjective
-
For now, though, Detroit’s automakers are leaning into the lucre that comes from selling millions of fossil-fuel vehicles in a rare moment of loosened regulation.—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
24 Feb. 2026
-
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
-
That loose, unconsolidated snow is more likely to slide, making avalanches potentially larger during big storms.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 Mar. 2026
-
At a targeted $50 billion primary raise and $1.5 trillion valuation, the deal would trail only Saudi Aramco in market cap and blow past Alibaba’s debut, yet it’s being pitched off fragmentary financials and largely unconsolidated disclosures, Tully writes.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
All rooms will have a 65-inch flat-screen television, in-room safe, a Nespresso machine, Le Labo bath amenities, flexible seating options, and floor-to-ceiling windows.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Now, the venue features a Main Stage, a Black Box Theater, a recording studio space, and flexible community areas for holding multiple simultaneous events.—
Pamela Brown,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, Ella was explaining to my mother why the teacher had sent a note home with her and recounting how her friend Stacy had played kitchen with a new girl during free time at school and allowed Ella to join them only for the cleanup part.—
Chang-rae Lee,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
-
Rafaelle lost her mark for a third time in the 56th minute, allowing Martinez to break free.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
As for propulsion, the Fly 82 can be equipped with three Volvo Penta IPS engines rated at either 900 hp or 1,000 hp, giving it an approximate top speed of 32 knots and cruising speed of 25 knots.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Anthropic overtook its competitor this week, surging to an approximate $1 trillion valuation.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Other methods of sneaking contraband into a prison include throwing it over a facility’s fence, coordinating through the mail and, in some cases, involving corrupt corrections officers.—
Taylor Galgano,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
-
Assessor Gus Kramer stayed in office when a jury deadlocked on a civil grand jury accusation of willful or corrupt misconduct in office.—
East Bay Times editorial,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Mosley was fired Monday morning after the Magic’s season ended Sunday at Detroit in Game 7 of their first-round NBA playoff series.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 May 2026
-
He was arrested after firing a shotgun in the direction of stairs leading to the ballroom dinner area, prosecutors said in an April 29 court filing.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
The departure of tenants unleashed a cascade of financial complications, court files show.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
-
Reaction there to that major Supreme Court ruling this week that has unleashed a new round of mid-decade redistricting after the justices narrowed Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loose. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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