bailout

1 of 2

noun

bail·​out ˈbāl-ˌau̇t How to pronounce bailout (audio)
: 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
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.
Noun
Gerald Ford denies a bailout for New York City. New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026 Sansone, who is also Shaw’s former father-in-law, says the company owes him about $10 million from years of investments, capital calls and bailouts. Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 2 Mar. 2026
Verb
According to police, one of the victims, the driver, bailed out of the car and fled the area on foot. Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026 In Florida, a defendant usually pays 10% of the total bond amount to a bondsman to bail out of jail. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 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 10 Mar. 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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