break loose
idiom
1
: to suddenly become loose : to suddenly stop being attached to something
One of the shutters broke loose during the storm.
2
: to get away from someone or something by using force or effort
The prisoner broke loose and ran away.
—often + fromThe 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
Recent Examples on the Web
The 26 barges are far from the first the first to break loose on the Ohio River.
—
USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
Mira Costa was unable to break loose Victor Loiola, with Kelly paying close attention to him.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024
Sometimes metal chips will break loose in the box, threatening the aircraft’s ability to keep flying.
—Laura Strickler, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2024
When a third skier starts down the slope, huge slabs of snow break loose and begin sliding down the mountain beside him, the video shows.
—Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2024
Amid signs of that Pacific warm current starting to build anew, climatologists looked ahead to next year as the time when all hell might break loose.
—Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2023
His and other counterculture families moved to Last Chance to break loose from American society and live communally amid the redwoods and meadows.
—Marc Wortman, Rolling Stone, 25 Dec. 2023
Ol’ heads were chattin’ that if Nick Saban didn’t get it together soon, Prime would roll into Tuscaloosa next and, then naturally, all hell would break loose.
—Tyler R. Tynes, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2023
Here is a dreamer and schemer for the 21st century, ready to make hell break loose.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2023
USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
Mira Costa was unable to break loose Victor Loiola, with Kelly paying close attention to him.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024
Sometimes metal chips will break loose in the box, threatening the aircraft’s ability to keep flying.
—Laura Strickler, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2024
When a third skier starts down the slope, huge slabs of snow break loose and begin sliding down the mountain beside him, the video shows.
—Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2024
Amid signs of that Pacific warm current starting to build anew, climatologists looked ahead to next year as the time when all hell might break loose.
—Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2023
His and other counterculture families moved to Last Chance to break loose from American society and live communally amid the redwoods and meadows.
—Marc Wortman, Rolling Stone, 25 Dec. 2023
Ol’ heads were chattin’ that if Nick Saban didn’t get it together soon, Prime would roll into Tuscaloosa next and, then naturally, all hell would break loose.
—Tyler R. Tynes, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2023
Here is a dreamer and schemer for the 21st century, ready to make hell break loose.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'break loose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near break loose
Cite this Entry
“Break loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break%20loose. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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