|
  • Search Results
  • Advanced Search
  • List Builder
  • Random Word

loose

If something is loose, it's not attached very securely to anything. Be sure the horse trailer attached to your truck isn't loose, or it might just roll away on its own while you're on the highway.

Loose means "not fixed." We can use it for things that you physically attach, like doorknobs or buttons, or for ideas that aren't rigid. If someone has loose morals, they don't have a strong moral code. A floppy dancer has loose limbs, and a loose ball is one that no one's holding. It's also a verb. To loose something is to set it free, which is different from losing it. You loose the wild squirrel you nursed back to health.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: loose

1
 adjvadv
not affixed
turn loose or free from restraint
without restraint
2
 adjv
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
make loose or looser
3
 adj
not officially recognized or controlled
4
 adj
not literal
5
 adj
lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility
6
 adj
emptying easily or excessively
FULL DEFINITIONS OF: loose
1

adj not affixed

“the stamp came loose”
Synonyms:
unaffixed
Antonyms:
affixed
firmly attached
appendant
affixed as an appendage
basifixed
attached by its base (as certain anthers to their filaments or stalks)
glued, pasted
affixed or as if affixed with glue or paste
mounted
assembled for use; especially by being attached to a support
show more antonyms...

adj having escaped, especially from confinement

“dogs loose on the streets”
“criminals on the loose in the neighborhood”
Synonyms:
at large, escaped, on the loose
free
able to act at will; not hampered; not under compulsion or restraint

adj (of a ball in sport) not in the possession or control of any player

“a loose ball”
Synonyms
uncontrolled
not being under control; out of control

v turn loose or free from restraint

“Loose terrible plagues upon humanity”
Synonyms:
let loose, unleash
Type of:
let go, let go of, release, relinquish
release, as from one's grip

v grant freedom to; free from confinement

Synonyms:
free, liberate, release, unloose, unloosen
Antonyms:
confine, detain
deprive of freedom; take into confinement
Types:
show 6 types...
hide 6 types...
unspell
release from a spell
unchain
make free
bail
release after a security has been paid
run
set animals loose to graze
bail out
free on bail
parole
release a criminal from detention and place him on parole

adv without restraint

“cows in India are running loose”
Synonyms:
free
2

adj not compact or dense in structure or arrangement

“loose gravel”
Synonyms
light
(used of soil) loose and large-grained in consistency
shifting, unfirm
(of soil) unstable
silty
full of silt
unconsolidated
loose and unstratified
Antonyms:
compact
closely and firmly united or packed together
clayey, cloggy, heavy
(used of soil) compact and fine-grained
close-packed
packed especially tightly
consolidated
forming a solid mass
impacted, wedged
wedged or packed in together
packed
pressed together or compressed
serried
(especially of rows as of troops or mountains) pressed together
tight
packed closely together
concentrated
gathered together or made less diffuse
show more antonyms...

adj not carefully arranged in a package

“a box of loose nails”
Synonyms
unpackaged
not packaged or put into packets

adj (of textures) full of small openings or gaps

“a loose weave”
Synonyms:
open
coarse, harsh
of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles

adj not tense or taut

“the old man's skin hung loose and grey”
Synonyms:
slack
lax
lacking in strength or firmness or resilience

adj not tight; not closely constrained or constricted or constricting

“loose clothing”
“the large shoes were very loose”
Synonyms
baggy, loose-fitting, sloppy
not fitting closely; hanging loosely
flyaway
(of hair or clothing) worn loose
lax
lacking in strength or firmness or resilience
Antonyms:
tight
closely constrained or constricted or constricting
tight
of such close construction as to be impermeable
choky
so tight as to tend to choke
clenched, clinched
closed or squeezed together tightly
close, close-fitting, snug
fitting closely but comfortably
skin-tight, skintight
so tight as to cling to the skin
skinny, tight fitting, tight-fitting, tightfitting, tightly fitting
fitting snugly
viselike
clamped as in a vise
tense
taut or rigid; stretched tight
show more antonyms...

v make loose or looser

Synonyms:
loosen
Antonyms:
stiffen
make stiff or stiffer
Types:
show 7 types...
hide 7 types...
relax, unbend
make less taut
remit, slacken
make slack as by lessening tension or firmness
slack
release tension on
unscrew
loosen something by unscrewing it
unscrew
loosen by turning
unbrace
remove from tension
douse, dowse
slacken
Type of:
alter, change, modify
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

v become loose or looser or less tight

Synonyms:
loosen, relax
Antonyms:
stiffen
become stiff or stiffer
Type of:
weaken
become weaker
3

adj not officially recognized or controlled

“a loose organization of the local farmers”
Synonyms:
informal
unofficial
not having official authority or sanction
4

adj not literal

“a loose interpretation of what she had been told”
Synonyms:
free, liberal
inexact
not exact
5

adj lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility

“a loose tongue”
Synonyms:
idle
irresponsible
showing lack of care for consequences

adj casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior

Synonyms:
easy, light, promiscuous, sluttish, wanton
unchaste
not chaste
6

adj emptying easily or excessively

“loose bowels”
Synonyms:
lax
regular, unconstipated
not constipated
Launch
WORD FAMILY
USAGE EXAMPLES