loosey-goosey

adjective

loos·​ey-goos·​ey ˌlü-sē-ˈgü-sē How to pronounce loosey-goosey (audio)
Synonyms of loosey-gooseynext
: notably loose or relaxed : not tense
a loosey-goosey attitude

Examples of loosey-goosey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of loosey-goosey was in 1964

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Cite this Entry

“Loosey-goosey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loosey-goosey. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.

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