at a loose end
idiom
British
: not knowing what to do : not having anything in particular to do
With everyone on vacation she was at a loose end.
Drop by if you find yourself at a loose end this weekend.
Examples of at a loose end in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
So Charles was left at a loose end, struggling to draw from the diminishing pool of debutantes who satisfied the stringent royal criteria.
—
Alexander Smith, NBC News, 8 Sep. 2022
Things settle into a more relaxed Britcom groove once Maurice, at a loose end with his children grown and retirement looming, finds his new calling — one that precisely no one else can hear.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 20 Oct. 2021
This left Justine at a loose end, and Brett was right there to pick it up.
—Rachel Cusk, Harper's Magazine, 27 Apr. 2021
On the evening of February 16, 1961, 19-year-old Wilbert Rideau found himself at a loose end.
—Josephine Livingstone, The New Republic, 11 Jan. 2021
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.
Alexander Smith, NBC News, 8 Sep. 2022
Things settle into a more relaxed Britcom groove once Maurice, at a loose end with his children grown and retirement looming, finds his new calling — one that precisely no one else can hear.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 20 Oct. 2021
This left Justine at a loose end, and Brett was right there to pick it up.
—Rachel Cusk, Harper's Magazine, 27 Apr. 2021
On the evening of February 16, 1961, 19-year-old Wilbert Rideau found himself at a loose end.
—Josephine Livingstone, The New Republic, 11 Jan. 2021
Dictionary Entries Near at a loose end
Cite this Entry
“At a loose end.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20a%20loose%20end. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share