safety valve
noun
plural safety valves
1
: a valve (as for a steam boiler) that allows gas or liquid under excessive pressure to escape in a controlled manner
2
: an outlet for pent-up energy or emotion
3
: something that relieves the pressure of overcrowding
Examples of safety valve in a Sentence
His hobbies act as a safety valve, relieving some of the pressure he feels from his job.
Recent Examples on the Web
While the Long Island and northern suburbs were once a safety valve for city workers looking for affordable housing, the price and availability of affordable units now forecloses that option.
—
Kathryn Wylde, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025
Affected owners will be notified starting next month and can get new transmission control software that will detect excessive safety valve wear and prevent wheel lock-ups.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 16 Mar. 2025
Fields needs a reliable tight end for the offense the Jets are going to run — someone who can act as a safety valve in the middle of the field while also contributing as a blocker — which is why they’ve been heavily tied to Penn State’s Tyler Warren.
—Dan Pompei, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
But often, the authorities seem to regard protests as helpful, whether in disciplining the foreign owners of factories in Vietnam, rooting out local corruption, signaling displeasure with China, or providing a safety valve for discontent.
—Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for safety valve
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Kathryn Wylde, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025
Affected owners will be notified starting next month and can get new transmission control software that will detect excessive safety valve wear and prevent wheel lock-ups.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 16 Mar. 2025
Fields needs a reliable tight end for the offense the Jets are going to run — someone who can act as a safety valve in the middle of the field while also contributing as a blocker — which is why they’ve been heavily tied to Penn State’s Tyler Warren.
—Dan Pompei, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
But often, the authorities seem to regard protests as helpful, whether in disciplining the foreign owners of factories in Vietnam, rooting out local corruption, signaling displeasure with China, or providing a safety valve for discontent.
—Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for safety valve
Cite this Entry
“Safety valve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/safety%20valve. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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