fast and loose
adverb
1
: in a reckless or irresponsible manner
played fast and loose with the public purse strings—
Paul Stuewe
Paul Stuewe2
: in a craftily deceitful way
manipulated evidence … and played fast and loose with the truth—C. V. Woodward
C. V. Woodward
Examples of fast and loose in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Thankfully, people like me who play it fast and loose with chemical compounds no longer need to feel shame: Cup Noodles has announced that, starting in 2024, it will be officially microwaveable thanks to its new paper packaging.
—Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 3 Nov. 2023
That’s kind of a very fast and loose environment, historically.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Mar. 2023
Once that sort of thing starts happening on the social platforms, the story tends to break out onto the web, where posting fast and loose stories about viral videos can generate some cheap traffic.
—Nilay Patel, The Verge, 28 Aug. 2023
Specifically, he was miffed that the Eagles played it too fast and loose with Deshaun Watson, with defensive end Josh Sweat at one point knocking the ball out of his hand on a would-be strip-sack.
—Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland, 15 Aug. 2023
Taken together, the chorus of charges, convictions and sentences have created a feeling that the start-up world’s fast and loose fakery actually has consequences.
—Erin Griffith, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2023
True, Brooks’ specific parodic stylings include screwball gags so fast and loose something always eventually sticks, while this script from Ryan Ridley and Robert Kirkman has other aims and desires.
—Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2023
That towering vibrato is the hill Beanie Feldstein has to climb in the big-budget revival currently mounted at the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway, and the pizazz, accordingly, flies fast and loose.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 25 Apr. 2022
Today is not about the words or social media posts of a man who infamously plays fast and loose with the facts.
—Laura Jedeed, The New Republic, 4 Apr. 2023
See More
Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 3 Nov. 2023
That’s kind of a very fast and loose environment, historically.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Mar. 2023
Once that sort of thing starts happening on the social platforms, the story tends to break out onto the web, where posting fast and loose stories about viral videos can generate some cheap traffic.
—Nilay Patel, The Verge, 28 Aug. 2023
Specifically, he was miffed that the Eagles played it too fast and loose with Deshaun Watson, with defensive end Josh Sweat at one point knocking the ball out of his hand on a would-be strip-sack.
—Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland, 15 Aug. 2023
Taken together, the chorus of charges, convictions and sentences have created a feeling that the start-up world’s fast and loose fakery actually has consequences.
—Erin Griffith, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2023
True, Brooks’ specific parodic stylings include screwball gags so fast and loose something always eventually sticks, while this script from Ryan Ridley and Robert Kirkman has other aims and desires.
—Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2023
That towering vibrato is the hill Beanie Feldstein has to climb in the big-budget revival currently mounted at the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway, and the pizazz, accordingly, flies fast and loose.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 25 Apr. 2022
Today is not about the words or social media posts of a man who infamously plays fast and loose with the facts.
—Laura Jedeed, The New Republic, 4 Apr. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fast and loose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1557, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near fast and loose
Cite this Entry
“Fast and loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fast%20and%20loose. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.
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