break open

phrasal verb

broke open; broken open; breaking open; breaks open
: to open or to cause (something) to open suddenly
The pods broke open and the seeds scattered on the wind.
The police broke open the door.
The burglars broke the locked safe open.

Examples of break open in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The Americans broke open the game with three goals in the second period. John Wawrow, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2026 Noha broke open underneath the basket off an inbounds play and converted a layup. Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026 Keller thumps Trinity to keep pace in 4-6A Keller broke open a close game at the half en route to a 59-25 win over Euless Trinity in a District 4-6A game on Friday. Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Jan. 2026 As a result, the Saints have broken open close games in one short burst. Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for break open

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Cite this Entry

“Break open.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break%20open. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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