break open

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

Bobby developed a painful rash that could break open and bleed, along with significant inflammation and bleeding around his fingernails. — Stat Staff, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026

The chorus broke open with two major chords, and the two people fumbled their way down the hall in the story while the musical progression tumbled downward, along with the protagonist’s self-respect. — Tom Roland, Billboard, 21 Oct. 2026

Rice grains should be cooked through, broken open, and creamy, but porridge should still be fairly loose. — Trinity Mouzon Wofford, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026

Tampa Bay took a 2-1 lead in the sixth when Caminero lined a double to the left-field wall off Daniel Espino (0-1), then broke open the game in a three-run seventh. — Joe Reedy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Rhymes for break open

• atropine
• reopen