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
Read Next News ‘Exotic’ 25-pound cat is on the loose in Virginia Beach.
—
Rhiannon Saegert, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Mar. 2025
Even scarier, a serial killer known as the Spider is on the loose in Bucharest.
—Keith Langston, People.com, 1 Mar. 2025
One puppy was safely returned, but three suspects are on the loose and one puppy remains missing.
—Axios Denver, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025
But three suspects are still on the loose, and one of the puppies remains missing.
—Simon J. Levien, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the loose
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Rhiannon Saegert, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Mar. 2025
Even scarier, a serial killer known as the Spider is on the loose in Bucharest.
—Keith Langston, People.com, 1 Mar. 2025
One puppy was safely returned, but three suspects are on the loose and one puppy remains missing.
—Axios Denver, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025
But three suspects are still on the loose, and one of the puppies remains missing.
—Simon J. Levien, New York Times, 26 Feb. 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 27 Mar. 2025.
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