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

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These are the bowls that seem only loosely concerned with salad. — Erin Bunch, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 June 2026 Use your hands to loosely wrap the zucchini spirals around the chicken on the skewers. — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 6 July 2026 It will be loosely based on A Spy in the Blood, by Paul Warner. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 26 June 2026 Cropped jackets worn with maxi dresses and a loosely fitting, cropped bomber jacket is the perfect outer layer for a curve-hugging, floor-sweeping dress. — Amber Rambharose, InStyle, 29 June 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

See All Rhymes for loosely

Browse Nearby Words

loose-lipped
loosely
loosely base on
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Loosely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loosely. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on loosely

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for loosely

Nglish: Translation of loosely for Spanish Speakers

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