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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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
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
Fasten loose objects or shelter objects in a safe location prior to the onset of winds.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 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
Farhadi has ceased making movies in Iran until the ban on showing women sans headscarf onscreen is lifted, but this loose Krzysztof Kieślowski adaptation set in Paris played to a muted response in the Palais — and amongst reviewers.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
Fasten loose objects or shelter objects in a safe location prior to the onset of winds.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 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
-
Suburban growth accelerated during COVID, McShane said, especially with flexible working options.—
John Marks,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2026
-
Company leaders said the expansion reflects growing demand for smaller, more flexible grocery footprints in urban areas.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Smith, released before free agency, remains unsigned.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
After your soak, head to Sant'Angelo, a car-free fishing village with boutiques, seaside cafés, and sweeping views, or unwind on nearby Maronti Beach.—
Nicky Swallow,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
The map above shows the mandatory evacuation area in red and the approximate fire perimeter as a black line.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
-
Four similar seismic signatures were registered at that exact time, in that approximate area, the pattern of which resembled underwater mines or overground quarry blasts, the Spanish National Seismic Network told CNN.—
Pau Mosquera,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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The film explores themes of power and coming of age in a corrupt society, with campus culture wars and climate grief at its center.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 May 2026
-
Dahlia, a disillusioned police aide, breaks into the mansion of the corrupt police chief Bernal and steals the money from his safe, unloading the funds to slum dwellers whose settlement Bernal razed down.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Verb
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According to police, the suspects allegedly stole multiple vehicles throughout the spree and fired shots at apartment complexes, homes, pedestrians and two fire stations.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
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Though OpenAI was making progress on research and development, Musk had demanded that Altman and other co-founders, including Brockman and Ilya Sutskever, make a list of employees and their key contributions, and fire everyone who didn't immediately make the grade, filings show.—
Ashley Capoot,Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
In unleashing its high-end, Category 4, 150-mile-per-hour winds four years ago, Hurricane Ian cemented a reputation as the deadliest Florida hurricane in almost 90 years.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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In the series, while visiting Japan on the ultimate foodie adventure, Scooby-Doo and Shaggy unwittingly unleash hundreds of mythical monsters that are causing trouble across the country.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loose. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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