fast and loose
adverb
1
: in a reckless or irresponsible manner
played fast and loose with the public purse strings—
Paul Stuewe
Paul Stuewe2
: in a craftily deceitful way
manipulated evidence … and played fast and loose with the truth—C. V. Woodward
C. V. WoodwardExamples of fast and loose in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The 18th-century Italian playwright Carlo Gozzi was a champion of commedia dell-arte, a funny format that can be both fast and loose and rather formal, with stock characters and tight storylines which the actors improvise within.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Jan. 2024
General Daily Insight for March 09, 2024 Our thoughts are flying fast and loose.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 9 Mar. 2024
And while tech giants like YouTube and Meta are focused on safely releasing the technology, there are others that may play more fast and loose.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Nov. 2023
Thankfully, people like me who play it fast and loose with chemical compounds no longer need to feel shame: Cup Noodles has announced that, starting in 2024, it will be officially microwaveable thanks to its new paper packaging.
—Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 3 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for fast and loose 
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Jan. 2024
General Daily Insight for March 09, 2024 Our thoughts are flying fast and loose.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 9 Mar. 2024
And while tech giants like YouTube and Meta are focused on safely releasing the technology, there are others that may play more fast and loose.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Nov. 2023
Thankfully, people like me who play it fast and loose with chemical compounds no longer need to feel shame: Cup Noodles has announced that, starting in 2024, it will be officially microwaveable thanks to its new paper packaging.
—Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 3 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for fast and loose
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fast and loose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Fast and loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fast%20and%20loose. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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