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
Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026
After Hart scooped up a loose ball and drove toward the hoop with only the Atlanta guard to beat, McCollum blocked the shot and sent the ball off Hart's foot to give possession back to the Hawks.
—Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 24 Apr. 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
But vague language in the current law has allowed for looser eligibility interpretations — since reinforced by the courts.
—Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026
After Hart scooped up a loose ball and drove toward the hoop with only the Atlanta guard to beat, McCollum blocked the shot and sent the ball off Hart's foot to give possession back to the Hawks.
—Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 24 Apr. 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
-
Future developments enabled by this technique include flexible organic electronics that can be printed or painted directly onto materials, such as smart clothing.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
-
According to industry estimates, private credit has grown into a multi-trillion-dollar asset class globally, driven in part by demand for faster, more flexible capital deployment.—
NIa Bowers,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The runs were a result of the free passes there (back to back walks to begin the fourth).—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
But not for the hundreds of high school students from throughout Los Angeles County who attended the10th annual Prom Dress & Tux Gift-Away and Resource Fair that were offered free formal attire at the Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel on April 25.—
Staff Photographer,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
To find the best Lyrids, locate the blue-white light of Vega — and with it the approximate position of the radiant — shining high above the eastern horizon after the moon has set on April 22.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
20 Apr. 2026
-
An acre-foot of water equals the approximate annual water use of three to four households, according to the utility.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As the operation grows across the city-wide black market, their ambitions clash with corrupt authorities, rival butchers and a shifting political landscape, pushing the family toward dangerous alliances and violent consequences.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
19 Apr. 2026
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Then Joe Biden and his corrupt administration comes along and makes matters worse, allowing thousands of criminals to enter our country illegally, pillaging Americans while being pampered in luxury hotels on our dime.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Three Georgia State Patrol troopers and their supervisor were fired from the department after an investigation revealed a scheme where officers used insurance claims to profit off of vehicle chases, an internal report concluded.—
Asia Simone Burns,
AJC.com,
21 Apr. 2026
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Quinlan represents former district CEO Pedro Martinez, who was fired without cause in December 2024, in an ongoing lawsuit against several current and former board members.—
Audrey Pachuta,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Check out the wide-mouthed scream unleashed by the Lakers’ Luke Kennard midway through the fourth quarter.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Artificial intelligence has unleashed the most upheaval within the industry since Jobs unveiled the first iPhone in 2007.—
Michael Liedtke,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loose. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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