on the loose

phrase

: 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

Police said he was shot after arguing with two men, who fled the place and remained on the loose. — Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026

Gordon showed speed and smarts to pounce on the loose ball and quickly find the feet of his captain. — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 2 July 2026

Why This Wolf Matters Beyond the Headlines Neukgu isn’t just any zoo animal on the loose. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026

There were previous sightings of Zeus on the loose over the weekend, according to animal services, which said the weekend storm activity was likely the reason Zeus was able to escape on Friday. — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026

Rhymes for on the loose

• disabuse
• introduce
• reproduce
• abstruse
• abuse
• adduce
• atreus
• caboose
• cayuse
• conduce
• deduce
• diffuse