loosely
gb/lˈusli/ us/lˈusli/
B1
English
~ 9200
lazán, tág értelemben, nagyjából
B1
1
lazán
B1
Usage pattern:
to [verb] [something] loosely
He held the rope loosely so it could slide through his fingers.
Lazán tartotta a kötelet, hogy átcsúszhasson az ujjai között.
The dress hung loosely on her shoulders after she lost weight.
Miután lefogyott, a ruha lazán lógott a vállán.
Wrap the bandage loosely around the arm to avoid cutting off circulation.
She tied her hair loosely at the back of her neck.
The lid was only placed loosely on the jar and fell off in the car.
Learner examples
She held the baby loosely, not too tight.
Lazán tartotta a babát, nem túl szorosan.
My shirt fits loosely, so I need a smaller size.
Az ingem lazán áll rajtam, ezért kisebb méretre van szükségem.
Please tie the dog loosely to the tree.
The ring sits loosely on his finger.
He put the scarf loosely around his neck.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "loose" instead of "loosely" after verbs (e.g., *"hold it loose"*). Use "loosely" to describe how an action is done: "hold it loosely". Also, do not confuse "loosely" with "lose" (the verb meaning to misplace something).
Meaning
in a way that is not tight
Collocations
hold loosely
|tie loosely
|hangs loosely
|fit loosely
|grip loosely
Synonyms
lightly (Suggests gentle pressure or force, and may not always imply extra space the way "loosely" does.)
Antonyms
tightly (Describes something held or fixed with no extra space or movement, the direct physical opposite of "loosely".)
Themes
daily life
|movement
|objects
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In a way that is not tight or firm, with extra space or movement.
In a manner that is not tight, firm, or closely attached, allowing movement or space.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
to use [a word] loosely
The term is used loosely here to include all types of digital media.
A kifejezést itt tág értelemben használjuk, hogy a digitális média minden típusát magában foglalja.
Loosely speaking, you could call it a tax on luxury goods.
Tág értelemben véve nevezhetnénk a luxuscikkekre kivetett adónak.
In this article, "family" is defined loosely to cover close friends as well.
The movie is only loosely faithful to the original novel's plot.
The word "democracy" is sometimes applied rather loosely in political debates.
Learner examples
I use the word "friend" loosely to mean any person I like.
A „barát” szót tág értelemben használom: minden olyan emberre, akit kedvelek.
Loosely speaking, the town is part of the big city.
Tág értelemben véve a városka a nagyváros része.
In this class, we use the term "art" loosely.
The story is only loosely true; some parts are made up.
He translated the poem loosely, not word for word.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse "loosely" with "almost". "Almost" means very close to 100%, while "loosely" means not exact or not strict and can be quite far from the exact meaning. Also, do not place "loosely" directly before a noun (✗ *a loosely definition*); use it before a past participle or after a verb: "loosely defined", "the word is used loosely".
Meaning
not exactly or strictly
Collocations
loosely defined
|loosely speaking
|used loosely
|loosely translated
|loosely interpreted
Synonyms
roughly (Focuses on an approximate amount or description, and is slightly more common in everyday talk about numbers or size.)
Antonyms
precisely (Emphasizes being exact and accurate in a way that "loosely" explicitly does not.)
Themes
language
|thinking
|academic
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In a way that is not exact or strict; almost or about, but not fully correct.
In a way that is not exact, precise, or strictly accurate in meaning or description; approximately.
B2
3
lazán
B1
Usage pattern:
to be loosely [organized/connected/structured]
The activists form a loosely organized network across several countries.
Az aktivisták több országra kiterjedő, lazán szervezett hálózatot alkotnak.
The book is a collection of loosely connected short stories.
A könyv lazán kapcsolódó novellák gyűjteménye.
Power is only loosely controlled by the central government in that region.
The project is loosely structured to allow for creativity and change.
These departments are only loosely linked and rarely share information.
Learner examples
The club is loosely organized with few rules.
A klub lazán szervezett, kevés szabállyal működik.
The film has three stories that are loosely connected.
A filmben három, lazán kapcsolódó történet van.
The team works loosely under one manager.
The group is loosely structured and very flexible.
These ideas are only loosely linked to the main topic.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "loosely organized" means "carelessly organized". It usually means there is little formal structure or control, not necessarily that the people are careless. Also, do not confuse this with the physical sense of "not tight"; here it is about organization or connection, not about space or pressure.
Meaning
with weak structure or control
Collocations
loosely organized
|loosely connected
|loosely structured
|loosely linked
|loosely controlled
Synonyms
informally (Suggests lack of official rules or formal systems, while "loosely" focuses on weak structure or control in general.)
Antonyms
tightly (In this context, describes groups or systems with strong organization or close connections, the opposite of "loosely" organized or connected.)
Themes
organizations
|politics
|society
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In a way that is not strongly controlled or organized; parts are only weakly connected.
In a way that lacks strict structure, strong control, or close connection between parts, members, or elements.
Grammar
Dictionary form
loosely
IPA
GB/lˈusli/
US/lˈusli/
Syllables & stress
loosely (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (loosely)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: loosely
- Plural: looselies
Word family
Expressions
loosely based on
1/lˈusli bˈeɪst ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
partly, not exactly, based on
Used to say that a story, film, idea, or plan comes from another source, but with many changes so it is not very close to the original.
Examples
- The film is loosely based on a real murder case.
- Her novel is loosely based on her childhood, but many details are invented.
- This game is loosely based on traditional card games, with some new rules.
loosely defined
1/lˈusli dɪfˈaɪnd/
fixed phrase
having a broad, inexact definition
Used to describe a word, idea, or group that does not have a clear or exact definition and is understood in a very general way.
Examples
- The category of "influencers" is loosely defined in the report.
- The term "middle class" is often loosely defined in politics.
- Membership is loosely defined and open to anyone interested.
loosely speaking
1/lˈusli spˈikɪŋ/
fixed phrase
generally, but not exactly, speaking
Used before a statement to show that what you say is generally true but not exact or fully correct in all details.
Examples
- Loosely speaking, we can call this a success, even if some goals were not met.
- Loosely speaking, Spanish and Italian are very similar languages.
- Loosely speaking, you could say the company is owned by the government.