break out 1 of 2

Definition of break outnext
as in to erupt
to develop suddenly and violently in the wake of news reports of deaths from the flu, panic broke out, and there was a mad rush for flu shots

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

breakout

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of break out
Verb
The incident disrupted an operation to evacuate thousands of seafarers from vessels stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war broke out. David Goldman, CNN Money, 26 June 2026 Toph escapes the clutches of her mother — who poisoned and kidnapped her — by revealing her earthbending powers, breaking out of the metal cage to rejoin Team Avatar. Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
Noun
While the World Cup has had no shortage of unlikely heroes off the pitch, one of the United States' breakout stars has proven particularly bizarre. Drew Pittock, USA Today, 25 June 2026 Goodfellas has posted a slew of international deals for Spanish directorial duo Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi’s Cannes breakout La Bola Negra. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for break out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break out
Verb
  • The crowd erupted as the ball crunched the back of the net.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026
  • Following the large blaze that erupted at a Boyle Heights cold storage facility, CBS LA Cares is heading to East Los Angeles to host an ice cream social event to hear directly from residents.
    Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • Part of the appeal for comedies like Little Brother is a sense of escape.
    Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2026
  • So without further ado, here are the best small towns in Virginia—from a quaint getaway in the heart of horse country to a remote escape on the Eastern Shore.
    Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • Online sales boomed and Nekhala said his business exploded.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 24 June 2026
  • Software engineers have arguably been the first class of workers to see the technology upend their jobs, as programming tools like Anthropic’s Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex have exploded in popularity.
    Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • None of the participating athletes have to pay for their flights.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 25 June 2026
  • Donaldson auditioned for the Heat earlier this month after taking a red-eye flight from San Francisco.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 25 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Break out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20out. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on break out

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster