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

Sales plunged thanks to the job losses of the Great Recession, with General Motors and Chrysler ending up with bankruptcies and federal bailouts. —Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 3 Dec. 2025

That fragile recovery has been supported by an IMF bailout and a rebound in exports—particularly apparel, which has been a critical source of foreign exchange. —Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 2 Dec. 2025

Verb

In November 2026, voters in the Bay Area’s five largest counties will decide on a massive transportation bond to raise about $1 billion annually aimed at bailing out the region’s struggling public transit agencies. —Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025

After bailing out with parachutes, the Germans captured Schrenk in Denmark and Bukowski in Germany. —John Lauritsen, CBS News, 25 Nov. 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