let loose
Americanidiom
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to set free; release;
They let the captured mouse loose in a field.
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to allow to act freely (often followed byon ).
I have my medical students practice putting IVs in me before I let them loose on patients.
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to act in a relaxed or uninhibited way.
It took some time to talk my dad into letting loose and playing a few games with the grandkids.
I can be serious when I need to be, but sometimes I just need to let loose and have fun.
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to utter or issue forcefully and suddenly (sometimes followed bywith ).
I let loose a shriek and made a dive for the door.
He let loose with a flurry of angry posts on the website.
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to give way; yield.
The guardrail let loose and we very nearly plunged over the edge.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Inevitably, this OpenAI hack has further fuelled fears of what could happen if AI agents are let loose.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Because we are turning 70 and have license to let loose, we order a single dessert with six forks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
A smile, a laugh - little hints that he wanted to let loose a bit.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
Beijing first let loose a flood of official vitriol at Ms. Takaichi.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026
As I did so, the devilfish saw my movement and let loose in the water a black cloud of liquid which instantly hid him from view.
From "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.