as in mellow
chiefly US, informal
very loose or relaxed
The assistant manager had a loosey-goosey attitude about the store's return policy.
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Recent Examples of loosey-goosey
This isn’t to say McDermott has become loosey-goosey.
—
Dan Pompei, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
As Prynoski runs a quick session, the loosey-goosey fantasy RPG-meets-drinking game — whose kookily illustrated cards and dice all glow under blacklights — feels oddly like a natural next step for Titmouse.
—James Grebey, Rolling Stone, 28 Nov. 2025
If things are left too loosey-goosey and vague, that can result in mixed expectations within your organization.
—Kathleen Walch, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2025
While their Afrocentric paeans to the motherland signal a commitment to Black uplift, their loosey-goosey grooves—plundered from records by Mandrill, Manu Dibango, and Kool & the Gang, and frequently scratched straight from turntables to tape—drink from a deep well of pure pleasure.
—Pitchfork, 30 Sep. 2025
This worldwide experiment is loosey-goosey and carries weighty consequences.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Dogma is having a resurgence; Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is similarly satirical in that loosey-goosey way Smith does so well.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 July 2025
The boundary of entertainment is a lot more loosey-goosey.
—Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Jan. 2025
Dan Pompei, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
As Prynoski runs a quick session, the loosey-goosey fantasy RPG-meets-drinking game — whose kookily illustrated cards and dice all glow under blacklights — feels oddly like a natural next step for Titmouse.
—James Grebey, Rolling Stone, 28 Nov. 2025
If things are left too loosey-goosey and vague, that can result in mixed expectations within your organization.
—Kathleen Walch, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2025
While their Afrocentric paeans to the motherland signal a commitment to Black uplift, their loosey-goosey grooves—plundered from records by Mandrill, Manu Dibango, and Kool & the Gang, and frequently scratched straight from turntables to tape—drink from a deep well of pure pleasure.
—Pitchfork, 30 Sep. 2025
This worldwide experiment is loosey-goosey and carries weighty consequences.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Dogma is having a resurgence; Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is similarly satirical in that loosey-goosey way Smith does so well.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 July 2025
The boundary of entertainment is a lot more loosey-goosey.
—Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loosey-goosey
Adjective
-
The bowl-back was exquisitely mellow.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Butter yellow is everywhere—from runways to celebrity homes—but there’s something undeniably comforting (and nostalgic) about this mellow hue.—
Lauren Jones,
Southern Living,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Some patients wait and see The early experience with the pill hasn’t been smooth for everyone.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Their bestselling Regenerating Cleanser gently polishes away impurities and dullness to reveal a healthy-looking, radiant glow, clinically proven to make skin look brighter, smoother, more hydrated and pores look smaller.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The robot will vacuum oil from the water’s surface, return to its base station to discharge the collected oil, and then redeploy to the spill site.—
Ben Coxworth
March 10,
New Atlas,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The collected data is then analyzed by an outside statistician before the report is issued.—
Theresa Clift,
Sacbee.com,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The feature is set in British Columbia, largely in the span of a summer during the nineteen-nineties, in a calm residential suburb on the ruggedly alluring Vancouver Island.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
This is altered by telehealth, which allows patients to start this delicate procedure in a calm, secure and private setting.—
Lucy Jones
April 11,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Fagen’s nonchalant cameo, though, got the Steely Dan community in a tizzy.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Scott inflicts Ohm’s nonchalant meanness with a piercingly perverse matter-of-factness that places the character as far away as possible from the realm of likeability.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Pollards Apiary and Gifts now attracts a steady stream of regulars, all of whom pull into her personal driveway and either drop cash or use Venmo to shop.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The threat of rising inflation will likely mean the central bank continues to hold interest rates steady.—
Damian J. Troise,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Made with a lightweight cotton fabric, this bucket hat will keep your face cool on balmy days.—
Claire West,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
-
People will see a ton of cool, diverse ideas from us.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Edmunds also singled out its easygoing driving nature, roomy cargo hold, and impressive fuel economy from its available hybrid powertrain.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Luis is the easygoing counter to Cary’s perpetually overwhelmed nature.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loosey-goosey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loosey-goosey. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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