loose

adjective
UK: /luːs/
US: /luːs/

  1. Not firmly or tightly fixed in place; able to move or be moved easily

    1. The tooth feels very loose now and will probably fall out soon. [ ] [ ]
    2. The dog got loose from its leash and ran across the park chasing squirrels. [ ] [ ]

  2. Not tightly packed or put together

    1. This shirt is too loose, I need a smaller size. [ ] [ ]
    2. The sand was loose and made it difficult to walk on the beach. [ ] [ ]

  3. Not strict or exact

    1. The rules about the dress code are quite loose at this company. [ ] [ ]
    2. He has only a loose understanding of the topic, lacking in-depth knowledge. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

unbound free slack relaxed
loose verb

  1. To set free; to release from restraint or confinement

    1. Loose the dogs! [ ] [ ]
    2. They will loose the hounds as soon as they see the suspect running from the scene. [ ] [ ]

  2. To make something less tight

    1. Can you loose my tie a little bit? [ ] [ ]
    2. I had to loose the belt after the Thanksgiving feast because my stomach was full. [ ] [ ]
loose adverb

  1. In a relaxed or careless manner

    1. He played loose with the truth. [ ] [ ]
    2. She throws the ball loose in the park, never thinking it'll hit someone. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "loose" in English means: Not firmly or tightly fixed in place; able to move or be moved easily, Not tightly packed or put together, Not strict or exact.

The phonetic transcription of "loose" is /luːs/ in British English and /luːs/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "loose": unbound, free, slack, relaxed.

Example usage of "loose": "The tooth feels very loose now and will probably fall out soon.". More examples on the page.