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

Last year, Washington backed a $20 billion International Monetary Fund bailout for Argentina and extended a separate $20 billion currency-swap line to stabilize the Argentine peso. — ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

He was supposed to set pay levels for executives of those large companies that took bailouts during the bailout-frenzied days of the Great Recession. — Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026

Verb

Daniels’ exit changed everything, and bailed out the Cowboys, who improved to 1-1. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Sep. 2026

Cornerbacks Rodrick Pleasant and Scooter Jackson appeared to get beat on multiple routes downfield, but they were bailed out by poor throws or receivers dropping passes. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 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