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 of bailout

Verb

• exit
• move
• depart
• get
• go
• peel off
• walk out
• pull out
• get off
• cut out
• run along
• dig out
• sally (forth)
• go off
• push off
• evacuate
• escape
• clear out
• bail
• start
• pike (out or off)
• clear off

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

Since no public funds are used to buy shares and the bill specifically prohibits public bailouts of covered companies, the US public truly shares in the upside of AI. — Sarah Polcz, Time, 12 Aug. 2026

In the past, the government intervened in a crisis to keep a critical company afloat; the bailout of General Motors and Chrysler in 2008 is the best example. — James K. Glassman, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Verb

For example, asking me to remember something is like requiring me to bail out a boat with sieve. — Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026

Oyarzabal’s form in recent knockout matches, though, hasn’t been great and Spain has twice been bailed out by late goals from make-shift forward Mikel Merino. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

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