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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
According to a federal indictment, Maduro and his alleged co-conspirators spent decades working alongside some of the world’s most violent drug traffickers and corrupt regional officials to funnel large quantities of cocaine into the United States.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Jackson argued that Burt Jones' work in the legislature was further evidence that the lieutenant governor is corrupt, a message that the health care tycoon is pushing in advertising too.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
O’Neal, the daughter of four-time NBA champion and Naismith Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, entered the portal April 14 after two seasons at UF; former head coach Kelly Rae Finley was fired by administration in March after five seasons at the helm.—
Caroline Makauskas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The next night, Russia fired nineteen ballistic missiles, twenty-five cruise missiles, and six hundred and fifty-nine drones.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Taveras unleashed a lifeline in a high-leverage spot, late in a game and with a full count.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Israel responded with overwhelming force, unleashing a barrage of airstrikes on southern Lebanon and areas around its capital Beirut and later launching the ongoing ground invasion.—
April 27,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loose. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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