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Synonyms

on the lam

Idioms  
  1. Running away, especially from the police, as in He's always in some kind of trouble and perpetually on the lam. The origin of this slangy term of the 1800s is not known.


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.

See Examples For:

Monkeys on the lam in St. Louis and AI isn’t helping.

From MarketWatch Jan. 15, 2026

The suspected leaker is believed to be a Chinese national who has moved back to China and is now on the lam, South Korean officials say.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 16, 2025

What are the odds that Luke would randomly buy a salvaged droid that just so happened to be on the lam from his own daddy?

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 23, 2025

They went on the lam to Chicago, Florida, and Arizona, and points in between.

From Slate Dec. 18, 2024

He cocked his head and looked sharp so no one would see a boy on the lam, and would instead see a bluesman on the way to his gig.

From "Clayton Byrd Goes Underground" by Rita Williams-Garcia

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