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
Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
The new episodes leave room for seriousness and depth amidst high jinks and naked murderers on the loose (seriously).
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 28 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
Park officials cite zero-tolerance ride safety rules banning all loose articles — even snacks.
—Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
The new episodes leave room for seriousness and depth amidst high jinks and naked murderers on the loose (seriously).
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 28 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
-
Between 48 percent off platform sandals that feel just as cushioned as sneakers, to 60 percent off flexible, low-profile sneakers that’ll never challenge an overpacked suitcase, any of the shoes below will carry you through your summer outings in style.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
29 May 2026
-
My cargo capri pants have a flexible waistband for easy sitting in cramped plane seats, while my breezy jumpsuit is a one-and-done casual outfit.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Some of these requirements include free and fair elections, the rule of law, an independent judiciary, equal rights, separation of powers, accountability of leaders, political pluralism, a free press, majority rule tempered by minority rights and thoughtful citizen participation.—
Steven D. Reske,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
-
In other words, no repeat of selecting Shabazz Napier in the 2014 first round to appease LeBron James, only to have LeBron walk in free agency weeks later.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
24 May 2026
Adjective
-
That number is down from the approximate 50,000 who were evacuated over the weekend.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
-
All of this is scheduled to be achieved before the end of 2033, so the entire project has reached an approximate halfway point on the road to completion.—
Michael T. Davis,
The New York Review of Books,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
Pratt, who did not respond to a request for comment, lost his Pacific Palisades home in the fires and has won over many frustrated city residents with his anti-establishment message and cheeky AI videos — including one casting him as Batman, taking on a corrupt Democratic bourgeoisie.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
-
Well, that's absurd, and this was really corrupt from the start.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
The officer fired on the canoe, hitting the bow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
-
Second, Los Angeles’ bullpen had not been scored upon in 11 straight games and had fired 38 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest streak by the Dodgers in the modern era (since 1901).—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Euphoria has been unleashing all kinds of horrors on Elordi's Nate Jacobs in its third season, and his suffering finally reached its peak in the penultimate episode.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 May 2026
-
Russia invaded Ukraine more than four years ago, unleashing Europe’s largest conflict since World War II.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loose. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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