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
Recent Examples on the Web
Watch Ed, a viral runaway zebra who was on the loose for a week, get a helicopter ride after being captured.
—
Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 10 June 2025
Decker, a former military man, remains on the loose according to local authorities, who provided a description of the father over the weekend as the search began.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 4 June 2025
With two escapees still on the run after a mass jailbreak in New Orleans and an ex-police chief convicted of murder on the loose in Arkansas, high-profile cases of daring breakouts have captured headlines for more than a week.
—Chris Lau, CNN Money, 28 May 2025
Only two out of the 10 escapees remain on the loose, Antoine T. Massey and Derrick Groves, the post said.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the loose
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Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 10 June 2025
Decker, a former military man, remains on the loose according to local authorities, who provided a description of the father over the weekend as the search began.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 4 June 2025
With two escapees still on the run after a mass jailbreak in New Orleans and an ex-police chief convicted of murder on the loose in Arkansas, high-profile cases of daring breakouts have captured headlines for more than a week.
—Chris Lau, CNN Money, 28 May 2025
Only two out of the 10 escapees remain on the loose, Antoine T. Massey and Derrick Groves, the post said.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the loose
Cite this Entry
“On the loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20loose. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.
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