DictionaryAI

loose

LOOS/luːs/

Adjectivelooser, loosest

Verblooses, loosing, loosed

Often confused with lose

24 meanings of loose

Practice

  1. 1
    not fastenedadjective
    Not held firmly in place, so it can move or come off easily.

    Like a tooth that wiggles when you push it.

    The screw was loose, so the handle wobbled.

    One of the floorboards is loose and creaks underfoot.

    UsageOften come loose. To misplace something is to lose it (not incorrect: loose).

    Similarfree, wobbly, insecure, unsecured, detached

    Oppositesecure, firm, tight, fixed

  2. 2
    baggyadjective
    Not tight on the body, with extra room to spare.

    Like a coat that is a few sizes too big.

    She wore a loose shirt that hung off her shoulders.

    These pants felt too loose around the waist.

    Similarbaggy, roomy, flowing, oversized, slack

    Oppositetight, snug, fitted, close-fitting

  3. 3
    not denseadjective
    Not packed tightly together, with space between the parts.

    Like a pile of dry leaves that air passes through.

    The soil here is loose and easy to dig.

    Fresh snow lay light and loose on the trail.

    Similarcrumbly, friable, light

    Oppositecompact, dense, firm, packed

  4. 4
    set freeverbtransitive
    To set something free so it can move on its own.

    Like opening a cage so a bird can fly away.

    The farmer will loose his dogs into the field to scare off the deer.

    The hunter loosed the hounds at dawn.

    UsageDifferent from loosen. People more often say let loose or set free.

    Similarrelease, free, unleash, liberate

    Oppositerestrain, confine, tether

    Note
  5. 5
    adjective
    Free to move around because nothing is holding it back.

    Like a balloon that slips from your hand and floats away.

    A loose dog ran across the busy road.

    Several horses got loose and wandered into the field.

    UsageOften break loose, get loose or set loose.

    Similarfree, unrestrained, runaway, uncontrolled, escaped

    Oppositerestrained, captive, confined

    Note
  6. 6
    not packagedadjective
    Sold or kept on its own, not packed in a box or bag.

    Like apples in a big open bin instead of a sealed bag.

    She prefers loose tea to tea bags.

    The nails are sold loose by the pound.

    UsageLoose change means coins in your pocket or purse.

    Similarunpackaged, unwrapped

    Oppositepackaged, wrapped, bundled

  7. 7
    vagueadjective
    Not exact, giving only a rough idea.

    Like a rough sketch that shows the shape but not the details.

    He gave a loose estimate of the repair cost.

    Their schedule was still loose, with no fixed dates.

    Similarvague, imprecise, inexact, approximate, rough

    Oppositeprecise, exact, strict, literal

  8. 8
    relaxedadjective
    Calm and relaxed, not stiff or tense.

    Like a cat stretched out lazily in the sun.

    The dancer kept her shoulders loose and easy.

    Stay loose and don't tense up before the throw.

    Similarrelaxed, limber, supple

    Oppositetense, stiff, tight

  9. 9
    ball nobody hasadjective
    Of a ball in a game, not controlled by any player, so anyone can try to get it.

    Like a coin dropped on the floor that anyone nearby can pick up.

    Three players scrambled for the loose ball near midfield.

    She pounced on the loose ball and raced toward the goal.

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of loose apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From an Old Norse word "lauss" meaning free or untied. It goes back to a very old root meaning "to untie or set free."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts