Standard Lemma guide

looseness

noun · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈluːsnəs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The quality or fact of being free from rigidity, attachment or restraint; not tight, not firmly attached or taut.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • See if that nut has too much looseness and tighten it if it does.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A relaxed state regarding principles or accuracy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Moral laxity; licentiousness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

dissolute indulgence in sensual pleasure

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: profligacy, dissipation, dissolution, licentiousness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: intemperance, intemperateness, self-indulgence

5

noun

Meaning 5

movement or space for movement

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • there was too much play in the steering wheel

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: play

Antonyms: tightness

Broader terms: movability, movableness

Narrower terms: wiggliness, slack, slackness

6

noun

Meaning 6

the quality of movability by virtue of being free from attachment or other restraints

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: fixedness

Broader terms: movability, movableness

7

noun

Meaning 7

a lack of strict accuracy; laxity of practice

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • misunderstandings can often be traced to a looseness of expression

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: inaccuracy

8

noun

Meaning 8

freedom from restraint

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the flexibility and looseness of the materials from which mythology is made

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: unrestraint

9

noun

Meaning 9

frequent and watery bowel movements; can be a symptom of infection or food poisoning or colitis or a gastrointestinal tumor

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: diarrhea, diarrhoea, looseness of the bowels

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: symptom

Narrower terms: the shits, the trots, Montezuma's revenge

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *lewh1- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Old Norse laussbor. Middle English loos English loose Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English looseness From loose + -ness.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Estonian: kobedus — The property of being loose
  • Finnish: löysyys — The property of being loose
  • Finnish: löyhyys — The property of being loose
  • Hindi: शिथिलता (śithiltā) — The property of being loose
  • Ido: laxeso — The property of being loose
  • Irish: liobairne — The property of being loose
  • Turkish: gevşeklik — The property of being loose
  • Ottoman Turkish: گوشكلك (gevşeklik) — The property of being loose