safety valve

noun

plural safety valves
1
: a valve (as for a steam boiler) that allows gas or liquid under excessive pressure to escape in a controlled manner
2
: an outlet for pent-up energy or emotion
3
: something that relieves the pressure of overcrowding

Examples of safety valve in a Sentence

His hobbies act as a safety valve, relieving some of the pressure he feels from his job.
Recent Examples on the Web Last November, Sable sued Santa Barbara County for denying its permits to install automatic safety valves, a critical requirement for operations to begin. Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024 The plant will be outfitted with emergency shutdown systems and safety valves in the case of an emergency, per Stacie. Yessenia Funes, Vox, 9 Aug. 2024 More interesting still is the note of blasphemous danger: in this way, these stories function like theological safety valves. James Wood, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024 The system lawmakers adopted allows modifications to any guardrail, if the governor and three-fifths of the legislature agree, like the safety valve built into the original spending cap. Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 30 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for safety valve 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'safety valve.' 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

1744, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of safety valve was in 1744

Dictionary Entries Near safety valve

Cite this Entry

“Safety valve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/safety%20valve. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

safety valve

noun
1
: a valve that opens automatically (as when steam pressure becomes too great)
2

More from Merriam-Webster on safety valve

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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