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loose

loose

33 1.0
Not tightly packed with many spaces between parts
  • adjective
  • /luːs/
: suelto
  • The sand was so loose that it slipped through my fingers.
  • loose sand
  • loose dirt
  • loose strands

And then we also have loose powder highlighter.

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Examples

  • So we just got these loose stones in from overseas.

  • The soil type that we have is a very loose, organic rich soil.

  • The loose soil that covers the valley floor.

  • It's a bit difficult here because there's a lot of loose rock.

  • The wheel rim digs into the loose earth, and the car is stuck.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • There's a dirt section of the floor in the hallway where the tile is loose.

  • He opted for a loose fitting shirt to stay comfortable in the heat.

  • The loose soil around the seedlings allowed for better drainage.

Synonyms

tenuous
vsloose
3 8.0

Very thin and weak, like a light mist

focuses on having many gaps or spaces rather than fragility
open
vsloose
1 4.9

Having many small spaces between threads

is used more generally for any object with gaps between parts
uncompacted
vsloose
1 6.3

Loose soil that is not pressed or packed so roots and water can move

is the common word for gaps or spaces between parts

Antonyms

80 4.1

Small and tightly packed so it does not take much space

56 3.2

Crowded with people or things packed closely together

Idioms

71 4.5

Free after escaping confinement and possibly dangerous, hard to find

14 8.1

A sudden time of chaos and confusion that spreads quickly

9 8.0

Act in a careless way by ignoring rules and other people's feelings

3 7.9

A sudden time when many people lose control and chaos starts

at loose ends
  • Informal
3 7.2

Feeling unsure what to do and not busy

2 7.7

A warning that careless talk can cause trouble by revealing secrets

loose as a goose
  • Informal
1 8.4

Being very relaxed and not worried, acting carefree and playful

1 9.9

Sudden noisy chaos starts

Compounds

loose end
  • Informal
67 3.7

An unfinished small task or detail that still needs doing

loose cannon
  • Informal
29 7.4

A person who acts unpredictably and can cause problems

screw-loose
  • Offensive
11 9.0

Behaving in a strange or not sensible way

11 3.1

Small coins people keep in pockets or jars

loose lip
  • Informal
6 7.7

A person who talks too much and tells secrets

Not tight on the body so clothes hang away from you

loose woman
  • Offensive
3 8.5

A woman who has many sexual partners and is judged by others

The parts of something move easily when they are not held together firmly

loose fish
  • Informal
1 9.9

A person who feels out of place in a group

A type of lettuce with loose leaves that do not form a head

loose sentence
  • Specialized
1 8.3

A way of writing where the main idea comes first and extra details follow

1 8.6

Having loose skin under the chin that hangs down

A smile that shows loose teeth about to fall out

loose smut
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A disease of wheat or barley that turns the grain head into a powder of fungus

loose man
  • Offensive
7.9

A man who has sex with many people or cheats on his partner

How Dense

dense
56 3.2
compact
80 4.1
loose
33 1.0
sparse
32 5.0
scattered
19 3.6

Surface Forms

loose positive
looser comparative
loosest superlative

Etymology

Loose comes from an old German word lōs meaning 'free' or 'not held', and this idea of 'not held together' helps here. That's why loose sand or gravel is not tightly packed and has many gaps.