TURN LOOSE Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

turn loose

phrase

Definition of turn loose

as in free

to set free (as from slavery or confinement) Once the eagle was fully recovered, the animal sanctuary turned it loose.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of turn loose The gold exhausted by the mid-1920s, the mines faltered and then closed, the miners left and the burros stayed, turned loose to make their own way in the desert. — Harry Bruinius, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Oct. 2026 Chad Hickman's ex-wife blames an Up North court system for turning loose the man Michigan State Police suspect of going on a shooting spree that killed five people. — John Wisely, Freep.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

turning up

turn loose

turn off

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Turn loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn%20loose. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of turn loose

phrase

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

wraith

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes