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

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

The Jackal was on the loose in London on Tuesday evening. —

Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Oct. 2024 For all anyone knows, there’s a shooter on the loose, but Trump exposes his face to the crowd, pumps a fist, imploring his followers to fight. —

Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024 The purpose of a Blue Alert is to immediately inform the public if there’s been a violent attack on law enforcement and the suspect is still on the loose, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety website. —

Lauren De Young, The Arizona Republic, 4 Oct. 2024 With an unknown assailant still on the loose, Pam Sleeper says her determination to find her sister's killer comes with risks. —

CBS News, 27 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for on the loose