1
a
: a curving or doubling of a line so as to form a closed or partly open curve within itself through which another line can be passed or into which a hook may be hooked
b
: such a fold of cord or ribbon serving as an ornament
2
a
: something shaped like or suggestive of a loop
b
: a circular airplane maneuver executed in the vertical plane
3
: a ring or curved piece used to form a fastening, handle, or catch
4
a
: a piece of film or magnetic tape whose ends are spliced together so as to project or play back the same material continuously
b
: a continuously repeated segment of music, dialogue, or images
a drum loop
5
: a series of instructions (as for a computer) that is repeated until a terminating condition is reached
6
: a select well-informed inner circle that is influential in decision making
out of the policy loop
7
: a closed electric circuit
8
: a sports league
see also:
looped; looping; loops
1
a
: to make a loop in, on, or about
b
: to fasten with a loop
2
: to cause to move in an arc
3
: to join (two courses of loops) in knitting
4
: to connect (electric conductors) so as to complete a loop
archaic
Examples of loop in a Sentence
Noun (1)
cut the paper into narrow strips, and then paste those into loops
Verb
The road loops around the pond.
The necklace is long enough to loop twice around my neck.
She looped a string around her finger.
He sat with his arms looped around his knees.
The ball looped over the shortstop's head into left field for a single.
The batter hit a looping single to left field.
The batter looped a single to left field.
The quarterback looped a pass downfield.
Recent Examples on the Web
Konstantin Kakaes, Quanta Magazine, 20 May 2026
An empty pandemic theater The entire world was thrown through a loop when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, shutting down schools and businesses and sending the world home to stop the spread of the deadly virus.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 20 May 2026
Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026
Some come out the other side of illness, but most loop through an unpredictable whirlpool, at times within sight of shore, at other moments spinning back out to sea.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for loop
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Noun
Around the same time, Möbius began introducing some of the field’s key ideas, such as how to classify shapes with varying numbers of holes by looking at how loops can be drawn on them.
—Konstantin Kakaes, Quanta Magazine, 20 May 2026
An empty pandemic theater The entire world was thrown through a loop when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, shutting down schools and businesses and sending the world home to stop the spread of the deadly virus.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 20 May 2026
Verb
This 123-mile multi-use trail system loops through the city, passing nature preserves, urban neighborhoods, and the shores of Lake Michigan.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026
Some come out the other side of illness, but most loop through an unpredictable whirlpool, at times within sight of shore, at other moments spinning back out to sea.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for loop
Cite this Entry
“Loop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loop. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
loop
1 of 2 noun1
: a fold or doubling of a line through which another line can be passed or into which a hook may be hooked
2
: a loop-shaped ornament, figure, bend, course, or device
a loop in a river
3
: a circular airplane maneuver involving flying upside down
4
: a complete electric circuit
5
: a piece of motion-picture film or magnetic tape whose ends are joined together to project or play back the same things continuously
6
: a series of instructions (as for a computer) that is repeated usually until a requirement for ending is met
loop
2 of 2 verb1
: to make or form a loop
2
a
: to make a loop in, on, or about
b
: to fasten with a loop
3
: to perform a loop in an airplane
Medical Definition
loop
noun1
: a curving or doubling of a line so as to form a closed or partly open curve within itself through which another line can be passed
2
a
: something (as an anatomical part) shaped like a loop see loop of henle lippes loop
b
: a surgical electrode in the form of a loop
3
: a fingerprint in which some of the papillary ridges make a single backward turn without any twist
4
: a wire usually of platinum bent at one end into a small loop (usually four millimeters in inside diameter) and used in transferring microorganisms
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