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loophole
[loop-hohl]
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.
verb (used with object)
to furnish with loopholes.
loophole
/ ˈːˌəʊ /
noun
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
verb
(tr) to provide with loopholes
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of loophole1
Example Sentences
“This opens a huge loophole for even more money in politics,” Jane Mayer of the New Yorker said on X, adding that it “gives donors tax breaks for supporting political candidates.”
However, many are still protected via regulatory loopholes, such as exemptions for those providing only impersonal advice not tailored to any particular client or issuing such advice for free.
Yet, the law is full of loopholes, scholars said — notably in relation to use of the National Guard.
But “as we change and close loopholes, they find new ones,” Williams said.
The so-called loophole meant wealthy individuals were able to legally save money by choosing a lower-tax country as their permanent home.
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When To Use
A loophole is an absence or something vague in a rule or law that allows a person to avoid punishment, as in I was able to keep an alligator in my apartment thanks to a loophole in the housing rules that said only “no dogs allowed.” Loopholes often result from poor wording or vague language in a rule or law. Generally, we can expect that anything that is not specifically forbidden or illegal must be allowed. However, this expectation sometimes allows people to get around the law by not violating the exact wording of that law.For example, a law may say that no one is allowed to walk on the sidewalk after dark. People take advantage of the loophole in this law by skipping, running, or jogging on the sidewalk when it is dark. Technically, they haven’t done anything forbidden by the law so they could not be punished for it.People who write laws and contracts try to avoid potential loopholes by using very specific language. Parents often have to do the same thing to avoid their children getting around their rules.Example: The companies used a loophole in the tax code to avoid paying taxes by registering themselves as charities.
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