loosely

adverb

loose·​ly ˈlüs-lē How to pronounce loosely (audio)
Synonyms of looselynext
: in a loose manner
loosely attached
a collection of loosely connected stories
His shoes are set tidily together in a corner with his socks draped loosely across them.—Felix Carroll
Texting freed a generation from the strictures and inconvenience (and awkwardness) of phone calls, while allowing people to be more loosely and constantly connected.—Jenna Wortham
The novel is loosely based on the life of Georgia O'Keeffe.
Loosely translated from Japanese, umami means delicious or yummy.—N. Seppa

Examples of loosely in a Sentence

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Right now, those terms are used loosely across product listings, and reviewers are being careful to distinguish them. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 Mike Flanagan’s story loosely co-opts the villain origin tale behind many of those incarnations — actor with an ax to grind gains shapeshifting abilities — but otherwise starts more or less from scratch. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026 The top layers were pulled back and away from her face, then pinned behind her ears to show off major diamond earrings, and the lengths were loosely curled. — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 19 Oct. 2026 Now, that loosely organized, satirically named Cockroach Janta Party has taken on the even larger issue of election integrity in the world’s largest democracy. — The Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for loosely

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of loosely was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing loosely

Rhymes for loosely

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Browse Nearby Words

loose-lipped
loosely
loosely base on
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Cite this Entry

“Loosely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loosely. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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