looser; loosest
1
a
: not rigidly fastened or securely attached
loose planks in a bridge
b(1)
: having worked partly free from attachments
a loose tooth
(2)
: having relative freedom of movement
c
: produced freely and accompanied by raising of mucus
a loose cough
d
: not tight-fitting
loose clothing
2
a
: free from a state of confinement, restraint, or obligation
a lion loose in the streets
spend loose funds wisely
b
: not brought together in a bundle, container, or binding
c
archaic
: disconnected, detached
3
a
: not dense, close, or compact in structure or arrangement
loose soil
b
: not solid : watery
loose stools
4
a
: lacking in restraint or power of restraint
a loose tongue
b
: lacking moral restraint : unchaste
c
: overactive
specifically
: marked by frequent voiding especially of watery stools
loose bowels
6
a
: lacking in precision, exactness, or care
loose brushwork
loose usage
b
: permitting freedom of interpretation
a loose construction of the Constitution
7
: not in the possession of either of two competing teams
a loose ball
a loose puck
looseness
noun
loosed; loosing
1
a
: to let loose (see loose entry 1) : release
loosed the dogs on the prowlers
b
: to free from restraint
2
: to make loose : untie
loose a knot
5
: to make less rigid, tight, or strict : relax
loosed his grip
: to let fly a missile (such as an arrow) : fire
: in a loose manner (see loose entry 1) : loosely
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Adjective
Some of the shingles on the roof were loose.
The rope was tied in a loose knot.
The nails had been pried loose.
Some of the shingles had come loose.
The boat came loose from its moorings and floated out into the harbor.
The ball popped loose from the shortstop's glove.
loose reins on a horse
She was wearing a loose dress.
The dog was wandering loose in the streets.
Verb
The soldiers loosed a volley of rifle fire.
the archers loosed a great volley of arrows at the foot soldiers charging towards them
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Aug. 2020
At smaller venues, the loose arrangement can create tension.
—Libor Jany, Star Tribune, 19 Aug. 2020
To build a picture of the wreck’s bacterial community, the researchers collected samples of the surrounding sediments and seawater, loose debris from the ship, and chunks of metal drilled from the steel hull.
—Kate Baggaley, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2020
The girl woke up with a loose tooth recently and worried the tooth fairy wouldn’t be able to pay because of the shortage.
—Chicago Tribune Staff, chicagotribune.com, 19 Aug. 2020
Today, the Skims founder posted a string of selfies to her Instagram Story sharing her vibrant hair-color transformation styled in a loose updo.
—Megan Decker, refinery29.com, 29 June 2020
The February White House visit and the promise to buy American arms were meant to shake loose agricultural trade preferences to lift Ecuador’s faltering economy, Rivera explained.
—Abraham Mahshie, Washington Examiner, 3 June 2020
Aztecs teammate Kern Carson had returned a punt 50 yards before fumbling; Petties recovered the loose ball and advanced it another 30 yards to the end zone.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2023
Taken as an experiment in how far Final Fantasy’s already loose format can be stretched without losing sight of the series’ traditions, XVI is a success.
—WIRED, 24 June 2023
Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 5 June 2023
But perhaps none of the slings and arrows flung at Jackson has provoked as much outrage as the one the state House of Representatives loosed earlier this month.
—Michael Wines, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2023
The Predator unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, has proven a formidable weapon for the U.S. military, quietly lurking in the sky and then zipping in to loose a missile on enemy targets.
—David H Freedman, Discover Magazine, 23 Sep. 2012
The results show that olfactory stimulation and processing may help maintain a healthy brain, and people who loose their sense of smell may experience emotional consequences.
—Ian Vorster, Discover Magazine, 1 Oct. 2014
Angel did loose a wheel on one outing to Andy's on Walnut Street in Rogers, Hill said.
—Tracy Neal, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2022
Anyone weary of cringe-y, performative displays of bien-pensant thinking might crack a smile — or let loose a belly laugh.
—Seth Colter Walls, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2022
Specifically, let loose a stream of urine on the rear right wheel of the transfer bus on your way to the launch.
—Valerie Ross, Discover Magazine, 12 Apr. 2011
Linebackers Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt, along with safety Jessie Bates III are very aggressive in the run support and will loose gap integrity.
—Lance Reisland, cleveland, 11 Dec. 2022
Philip Elliott, Time, 23 June 2023
And then, all of a sudden, all of the threads rip loose, and the net gets cast down to nothing.
—Michael Granberry, Dallas News, 23 June 2023
In one of the early matches that night, a fighter’s headgear came loose.
—Zoë Bernard, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2023
Decisions made on the spot by organizers may change the timetable, so hang loose and pay attention.
—Lawrence Specker | , al, 26 Apr. 2023
When the Fab Five surprised them at their basically crumbling home, fruit flies were swarming, dishes were piled in the kitchen sink, and floorboards were coming loose.
—Jessica Cherner, House Beautiful, 16 May 2023
The Duchess of Sussex, 41, appeared at a state dinner in Suva, Fiji, sporting the glamorous ensemble with statement earrings and her hair worn loose.
—Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 2 June 2023
Because both teams have exceeded expectations, look for both to play loose.
—Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2023
Thanks to the top's flowy fit, it can easily be worn tucked into jeans or a skirt, or worn loose, depending on your vibe that day.
—Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2023
See More
Adjective
As a precaution, Aldi is voluntarily recalling loose bulk peaches and Peaches Organic 2-pound bags.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Aug. 2020
At smaller venues, the loose arrangement can create tension.
—Libor Jany, Star Tribune, 19 Aug. 2020
To build a picture of the wreck’s bacterial community, the researchers collected samples of the surrounding sediments and seawater, loose debris from the ship, and chunks of metal drilled from the steel hull.
—Kate Baggaley, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2020
The girl woke up with a loose tooth recently and worried the tooth fairy wouldn’t be able to pay because of the shortage.
—Chicago Tribune Staff, chicagotribune.com, 19 Aug. 2020
Today, the Skims founder posted a string of selfies to her Instagram Story sharing her vibrant hair-color transformation styled in a loose updo.
—Megan Decker, refinery29.com, 29 June 2020
The February White House visit and the promise to buy American arms were meant to shake loose agricultural trade preferences to lift Ecuador’s faltering economy, Rivera explained.
—Abraham Mahshie, Washington Examiner, 3 June 2020
Aztecs teammate Kern Carson had returned a punt 50 yards before fumbling; Petties recovered the loose ball and advanced it another 30 yards to the end zone.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2023
Taken as an experiment in how far Final Fantasy’s already loose format can be stretched without losing sight of the series’ traditions, XVI is a success.
—WIRED, 24 June 2023
Verb
Over the last few days, DeSantis has loosed a barrage of attacks on Trump.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 5 June 2023
But perhaps none of the slings and arrows flung at Jackson has provoked as much outrage as the one the state House of Representatives loosed earlier this month.
—Michael Wines, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2023
The Predator unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, has proven a formidable weapon for the U.S. military, quietly lurking in the sky and then zipping in to loose a missile on enemy targets.
—David H Freedman, Discover Magazine, 23 Sep. 2012
The results show that olfactory stimulation and processing may help maintain a healthy brain, and people who loose their sense of smell may experience emotional consequences.
—Ian Vorster, Discover Magazine, 1 Oct. 2014
Angel did loose a wheel on one outing to Andy's on Walnut Street in Rogers, Hill said.
—Tracy Neal, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2022
Anyone weary of cringe-y, performative displays of bien-pensant thinking might crack a smile — or let loose a belly laugh.
—Seth Colter Walls, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2022
Specifically, let loose a stream of urine on the rear right wheel of the transfer bus on your way to the launch.
—Valerie Ross, Discover Magazine, 12 Apr. 2011
Linebackers Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt, along with safety Jessie Bates III are very aggressive in the run support and will loose gap integrity.
—Lance Reisland, cleveland, 11 Dec. 2022
Adverb
Two years later—with the Supreme Court shaking loose a lot of ground in the interim—that figure surged to 60%.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 23 June 2023
And then, all of a sudden, all of the threads rip loose, and the net gets cast down to nothing.
—Michael Granberry, Dallas News, 23 June 2023
In one of the early matches that night, a fighter’s headgear came loose.
—Zoë Bernard, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2023
Decisions made on the spot by organizers may change the timetable, so hang loose and pay attention.
—Lawrence Specker | , al, 26 Apr. 2023
When the Fab Five surprised them at their basically crumbling home, fruit flies were swarming, dishes were piled in the kitchen sink, and floorboards were coming loose.
—Jessica Cherner, House Beautiful, 16 May 2023
The Duchess of Sussex, 41, appeared at a state dinner in Suva, Fiji, sporting the glamorous ensemble with statement earrings and her hair worn loose.
—Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 2 June 2023
Because both teams have exceeded expectations, look for both to play loose.
—Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2023
Thanks to the top's flowy fit, it can easily be worn tucked into jeans or a skirt, or worn loose, depending on your vibe that day.
—Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'loose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective, Verb, and Adverb
Middle English lous, from Old Norse lauss; akin to Old High German lōs loose — more at -less
First Known Use
Adjective
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Adverb
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of loose was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing loose
Dictionary Entries Near loose
Cite this Entry
“Loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loose. Accessed 9 Jul. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
loose
1 of 2 adjective
looser; loosest
1
a
: not firmly fastened or securely attached
a loose tooth
b
: no longer attached
a boat loose from its moorings
c
: not tight-fitting
2
a
: not shut in, tied up, or held back
a lion loose in the streets
b
: not brought together in a bundle, container, or binding
loose sheets of pages
3
: not dense or compact
loose dirt
cloth of loose weave
4
: not respectable : immoral
loose conduct
5
: not tightly drawn or stretched : slack
6
: not exact or careful
a loose guess
loose
adverb
loosely
adverb
looseness
noun
Medical Definition
loose
adjective
looser; loosest
1
a
: not rigidly fastened or securely attached
b(1)
: having worked partly free from attachments
a loose tooth
(2)
: having relative freedom of movement
c
: produced freely and accompanied by raising of mucus
a loose cough
2
a
: not dense, close, or compact in structure or arrangement
loose connective tissue
b
: not solid : watery
loose stools
3
: overactive
specifically
: marked by frequent voiding especially of watery stools
loose bowels
4
: not tightly drawn or stretched
loose skin
loosely
adverb
looseness
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on loose
Nglish: Translation of loose for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of loose for Arabic Speakers
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