on the loose

idiom

: able to move freely : not controlled or held in a prison, cage, etc.
used especially to describe a dangerous person, animal, or group
The prisoner escaped and is still on the loose.
A killer is on the loose.
An angry mob was on the loose.

Examples of on the loose in a Sentence

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Just…What Happens Now? – Obviously a very general question, but Gemma is gone, Mark and Helly are on the loose on the floor, the main Eagan enforcer is dead, Milchick is wavering, Dylan is chillin. Paul Tassi, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025 The slayings led to weeks of investigation from police, frustrations from the victims’ families about the pace of the policework and fear in the local community of a mass killer on the loose. Lauren Del Valle, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025 The 12 Best Movies and TV Shows to Watch This Weekend A killer toy monkey is on the loose. Britina Cheng, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025 While the bird was recovered shortly afterward, the suspect, 24-year-old Onyx Calderon, remains on the loose. Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for on the loose

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Cite this Entry

“On the loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20loose. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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