bailout

1 of 2

noun

bail·​out ˈbāl-ˌau̇t 

: 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

Synonyms

Verb

• bail
• begone
• book [slang]
• bug off
• bug out
• bugger off [British slang]
• buzz (off)
• clear off [chiefly British]
• clear out
• cut out
• depart
• dig out
• exit
• get
• get off
• go
• go off
• move
• pack (up or off)
• part
• peel off
• pike (out or off)
• pull out
• push off
• push on
• quit
• run along
• sally (forth)
• scarper [British]
• shove (off)
• step (along)
• take off
• vamoose
• walk out

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

Noun

Even then, the arrangements have been temporary, such as in 2008, when Washington took a controlling share in major auto companies as part of its emergency bailouts. —Cecilia Hult, Fortune, 20 June 2025

Whether the Fed as the all-powerful entity capable of propping up the economy is true or not, since when are bailouts and central planning of monetary aggregates part of the free-market playbook? —John Tamny, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025

Verb

The Treasury rout in May was accompanied by a sell-off from other key markets as well, with investors bailing out of Japanese government bonds. —Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 17 June 2025

While over the target, the bomber took flak damage, and the crew bailed out. —Robert M. Edsel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1939, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1925, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bailout

• about
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout
• dugout

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 

: a rescue from financial distress