1
as in loosened
not tightly fastened, tied, or stretched
secure your neckerchief with a loose knot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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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
Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 29 May 2025
The ankle length is easy to style with sneakers or heels, depending on the occasion, and gives a bit of structure to the otherwise loose jean.
—Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 28 May 2025
Matthew Specktor, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Even before the rains, rockslides loosed by the wildfire had tumbled onto the road.
—Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loose
Adjective
Minnesota United goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair on Tuesday shared how one primary goal carries over to this Vancouver match: Don’t loose to a team twice in one season.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 29 May 2025
The ankle length is easy to style with sneakers or heels, depending on the occasion, and gives a bit of structure to the otherwise loose jean.
—Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 28 May 2025
Verb
In the fall of 1982, Love Child receives its title and is loosed into theaters, only to vanish a few weeks later.
—Matthew Specktor, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Even before the rains, rockslides loosed by the wildfire had tumbled onto the road.
—Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loose
Adjective
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Management identified a material weakness in internal controls related to verifying information from unconsolidated subsidiaries, which has been addressed with new procedures.—
Quartz Intelligence Newsroom,
Quartz,
1 Apr. 2025
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Related article Massive sinkhole threatens to swallow West Virginia police department Takashi Oguchi, a geographer from the University of Tokyo, said sinkholes are rare in Japan, where most roads are built on unconsolidated fluvial and marine sediments.—
Yumi Asada, Chris Lau and Minori Konishi,
CNN,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Everything has to be centred on them, perhaps with a flexible back three with three attacking midfielders: Havertz as a false nine, Musiala half left, Wirtz half right.—
Philipp Lahm,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
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Subsidized interest, flexible repayment options and leeway during times of financial hardship make federal loans a smart option for many eligible borrowers.—
Kamaron McNair,
CNBC,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Meredith Wilshere,
People.com,
8 June 2025
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Burnes’ Loss Clouds Future of the Rotation Even before Burnes’ injury, the Diamondbacks faced questions about what the 2026 rotation would look like since top starters Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly are eligible for free agency this winter and are likely to test the market.—
Jack Magruder,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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Vietnam exported apparel worth $44 billion in 2024, with an approximate 38 percent of this to the U.S, an increase of 12.33 percent over the previous year according to the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS).—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
22 May 2025
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Air Traffic Control Salary The approximate median annual wage for air traffic control specialists is $127,805, according to FAA data last updated in February.—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 May 2025
Adjective
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Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive first look at the film, which follows Ahmed's Ash, an off-the-grid fixer who brokers deals between whistleblowers and corrupt corporations through a message relay service that maintains anonymity.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
5 June 2025
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Sara’s friend from her secret agent days, Teresa, is also taking matters into her own hands after also losing a loved one to a corrupt system.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Forensic evidence found at the scene indicated both brothers fired a weapon.—
Melissa Noel,
Essence,
28 May 2025
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The Suns fired 2022 Coach of the Year Monty Williams that summer, replacing him with Frank Vogel — who had just won a title with the Los Angeles Lakers two years prior.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
Verb
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In April, the IMF said global GDP would rise by 2.8% this year, down from a previous estimate of 3.2%, citing the uncertainty unleashed by Trump’s barrage of new tariffs on America’s trading partners.—
Anna Cooban,
CNN Money,
28 May 2025
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After decades of unleashing all sorts of brilliant, transcendental digs to people of all races and backgrounds, has Patti LuPone gone too far by doubling down on her feud with two prestigious actresses of color?—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
28 May 2025
Verb
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An Arizona murderer was sentenced to life plus 10 years in prison on May 27 after killing a second person only 16 days after he was released in 2020, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona.—
Christina Shaw,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2025
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Generic drugs, which are designed to provide the same therapeutic effects as brand-name ones and are released after their patents expire, account for 90% of all prescriptions in the US.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loose. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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