loose

/luːs/

//luːs// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"loose" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“loose” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,243 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#3,243
frequency rank, English
5
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To let loose, to free from restraints.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

loose vs los
60% similar
loose vs love
60% similar
loose vs lost
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for loose
PropertyValue
Headwordloose
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/luːs/
Letters5
Frequency rank#3,243
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “loose” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). loose lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for loose is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /luːs/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,243 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for loose, with forms such as "lloose", "looes", and "loosse". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "los", "love", "lost", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *lausaz Old Norse laussbor. Middle English loos English loose From Middle English loos, los, lous, from Old Norse lauss, from Proto-Germanic *lausaz, whence also -less, leasing; from Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- (“to untie, set … The correct English form is loose, spelled L-O-O-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To let loose, to free from restraints.
  2. 2
    To unfasten, to loosen.
  3. 3
    To make less tight, to loosen.
  4. 4
    Of a grip or hold, to let go.
  5. 5
    To shoot (an arrow).
  6. 6
    To set sail.
  7. 7
    To solve; to interpret.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *lausaz Old Norse laussbor. Middle English loos English loose From Middle English loos, los, lous, from Old Norse lauss, from Proto-Germanic *lausaz, whence also -less, leasing; from Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- (“to untie, set free, separate”), whence also lyo-, -lysis, via Ancient Greek.

Synonyms

freereleaseloosenunbindundounfastenuntieloosenrelaxslackenlet goreleasefireshoot

Antonyms

bindconstrainbindfastentietightentightenfast

This word in other languages

soltar(Español)défaire(Français)lösen(Deutsch)soltar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: lloose,looes,loosse,losoe,olose

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of loose - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

lloose1looes2loosse1losoe2olose2
Edit distance from "loose"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "loose"?
"loose" is spelled L-O-O-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /luːs/.
What does "loose" mean?
As a verb, "loose" means: To let loose, to free from restraints.
What words are commonly confused with "loose"?
"loose" is commonly confused with "los", "love", "lost". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "loose"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "loose" is /luːs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "loose"?
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *lausaz Old Norse laussbor. Middle English loos English loose From Middle English loos, los, lous, from Old Norse lauss, from Proto-Germanic *lausaz, whence also -less, leasing; from Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- (“to u... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “loose”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-O-O-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /luːs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “los” - see the side-by-side comparison. loose vs los
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list