View synonyms for loophole

loophole

[ loop-hohl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a means of escape or evasion; a means or opportunity of evading a rule, law, etc.:
There are a number of loopholes in the tax laws whereby corporations can save money.
a small or narrow opening, as in a wall, for looking through, for admitting light and air, or, particularly in a fortification, for the discharge of missiles against an enemy outside.
an opening or aperture.

, loop·holed, loop·hol·ing.

loophole

/ ˈluːpˌhəʊl /

an ambiguity, omission, etc, as in a law, by which one can avoid a penalty or responsibility
a small gap or hole in a wall, esp one in a fortified wall

First recorded in 1585–95; loop ² + hole

C16: from loop ² + hole

But, they added, that body scanners are absent at local airports, which they called “this large loophole.”

Would it surprise you to learn there is a loophole in federal disclosure requirements?

Critics say the loophole leads for-profit schools to aggressively target veterans to draw additional federal funding.

Efforts to close the loophole have failed in Washington, but have gained momentum in the states.

Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) acknowledged the loophole, but insisted the bill should nevertheless move forward.

No moon, no stars; only a red flash on the ground where the light streamed from a loophole in the great hall.

A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.

All at once he remembered his promise, and a cunning loophole dawned in his foggy brain.

If we got that, and widened a loophole, and shoved it through, it would look just like the muzzle of a cannon in the dark.'

They seem to belong to that commencement of terrible life which the dreamer sees confusedly through the loophole of the night.

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