break loose

idiom

: to suddenly become loose : to suddenly stop being attached to something

One of the shutters broke loose during the storm.

: to get away from someone or something by using force or effort

The prisoner broke loose and ran away.

—often + from

The prisoner broke loose from the guards.

She wants to break loose from the constraints of her middle-class life.

Examples of break loose in a Sentence

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In addition, as resistant bacteria enter the environment from those other sources, their genes can break loose and get taken up by other organisms, or be altered by exposure to soil microbes wielding defensive compounds of their own. —

Maryn McKenna, WIRED, 7 Feb. 2023 If generative AI were to spew out the unsavory words that were encountered during data training, all heck would break loose. —

Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024 Once several aliens break loose, the ship sets an emergency course back to earth. —

Rendy Jones, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2024 More:Pittsburgh barges break loose in Ohio River, damage marina Cleanup continues The Dali's crews remain about the vessel as cleanup is underway on the ship. —

Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for break loose