loosely

adverb

loose·​ly ˈlüs-lē 

: in a loose manner

loosely attached

a collection of loosely connected stories

His shoes are set tidily together in a corner with his socks draped loosely across them.

—Felix Carroll

Texting freed a generation from the strictures and inconvenience (and awkwardness) of phone calls, while allowing people to be more loosely and constantly connected.

—Jenna Wortham

The novel is loosely based on the life of Georgia O'Keeffe.

Loosely translated from Japanese, umami means delicious or yummy.

—N. Seppa

Examples of loosely in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Japanese concept of mottainai—loosely translated as the sense of regret that accompanies waste—was drummed into her at an early age. — Leslie Camhi, Vogue, 15 Sep. 2026

Wrap leftovers loosely in parchment paper or a kitchen towel, place in a paper bag (to keep the crust crisp) or a resealable plastic bag (to keep the bread soft), and store at room temperature for up to two days. — ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026

The script, by Luke Davies, loosely braids three different timelines. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Her brunette hair fell loosely around her shoulders as sunlight filtered through the trees, casting shadows across her face and upper body. — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing loosely

• broadly/loosely define
• loosely base on

Rhymes for loosely

• diffusely
• obtusely
• profusely