bailout

1 of 2

noun

bail·​out ˈbāl-ˌau̇t How to pronounce bailout (audio)
Synonyms of bailoutnext
: a rescue from financial distress

bail out

2 of 2

verb

bailed out; bailing out; bails out

intransitive verb

1
: to parachute from an aircraft
2
: to abandon a harmful or difficult situation
also : leave, depart

Examples of bailout in a Sentence

Noun government bailouts of large corporations Verb if the meeting seems like it will never end, find an excuse to bail out the government bailed out the savings and loan industry
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
But federal intervention that empowers institutions while avoiding athlete bargaining would be another bailout for the people who created the mess. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2026 Each bailout was intended to help. David H. Rosmarin, Time, 10 June 2026
Verb
Changes to fiscal policies so that the government does not continue bailing out inefficient state enterprises. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026 The scientists intended their distribution of the article implicitly as a counterweight to a keynote talk by NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, who was going to speak without taking questions but who bailed out at the last minute. Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bailout

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1939, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1925, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bailout was in 1925

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Bailout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bailout. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

bail out

verb
1
: to jump out of an airplane with a parachute
2
: to help from a difficult situation

Legal Definition

bailout

noun
bail·​out ˈbāl-ˌau̇t How to pronounce bailout (audio)
: a rescue from financial distress

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