loosen the purse strings
idiom
: to make more money available for spending
Companies are expected to loosen the purse strings as the economy improves.
Examples of loosen the purse strings in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The global financial crisis hit the economy just as the government was about to loosen the purse strings.
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John Rapley, Foreign Affairs, 10 Jan. 2023
Beyond elementary and secondary public schools and priorities such as border security and mental health, though, the budget clamps down hard on other state programs – something likely to continue, unless a coming wave of federal stimulus money persuades lawmakers to loosen the purse strings.
—Robert T. Garrett, Dallas News, 6 Apr. 2021
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John Rapley, Foreign Affairs, 10 Jan. 2023
Beyond elementary and secondary public schools and priorities such as border security and mental health, though, the budget clamps down hard on other state programs – something likely to continue, unless a coming wave of federal stimulus money persuades lawmakers to loosen the purse strings.
—Robert T. Garrett, Dallas News, 6 Apr. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Loosen the purse strings.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loosen%20the%20purse%20strings. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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