break loose

Idioms

Escape from restraint, as in The boat broke loose from its moorings, or He finally broke loose from the school of abstract expressionism. This expression also appears in all hell breaks loose, which indicates a state of fury or chaos, as in When Dad finds out you broke his watch, all hell will break loose, or When the children saw the dead pigeon in the hall, all hell broke loose. [Early 1400s]

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.

break loose

Andreas Skov Olsen floated in a cross and all hell was about to break loose.

From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2026

As spring approaches, the sun warms the slopes and large ice blocks -- sometimes a meter long -- break loose.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2025

Mira Costa was unable to break loose Victor Loiola, with Kelly paying close attention to him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 22, 2024

When the foundations of a civilization crack, all hell can break loose.

From Salon ● May 21, 2023

The fly was beating its wings furiously, trying to break loose and free itself.

From "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023