loose cannon

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.

I can’t imagine being more of a loose cannon, or how you would navigate it without that grounding.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

His mother doesn't acknowledge that Ruben is a loose cannon loaded with vast quantities of gunpowder.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

“He had to protect himself from his loose cannon partner over here,” he said.

From Salon • Jan. 21, 2026

Nixon and Kissinger saw him as a loose cannon, and they wondered whether he was divulging these secrets, possibly to foreign agents.

From Slate • Jun. 16, 2023

In Thomas’s mind, Newt was in charge, but he could also be a loose cannon sometimes.

From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner