break loose

phrase

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 + from
The prisoner broke loose from the guards.
She wants to break loose from the constraints of her middle-class life.

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Cite this Entry

“Break loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break%20loose. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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