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
Whatever the limitations of the marketplace, great writing remains as capable as ever of breaking open your sense of the world and your place in it.
—
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
The footage showed the agent holding a gun in one hand and using the other to break open the passenger side window of Parias’ car, according to The Times.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
But the Raptors started making more shots in the second half to break open the game and cruise to the win.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 24 Dec. 2025
Black Oil Sunflower Seed Black oil sunflower seed has very thin shells that weigh less and is easier for birds to break open to get to the oil-rich kernels.
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break open
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Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
The footage showed the agent holding a gun in one hand and using the other to break open the passenger side window of Parias’ car, according to The Times.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
But the Raptors started making more shots in the second half to break open the game and cruise to the win.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 24 Dec. 2025
Black Oil Sunflower Seed Black oil sunflower seed has very thin shells that weigh less and is easier for birds to break open to get to the oil-rich kernels.
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break open
Cite this Entry
“Break open.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break%20open. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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