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
The game would break open when Dolphins safety Ashtyn Davis missed a tackle on a 38-yard run that Steelers tailback Kenneth Gainwell bounced to the right.
—
Miami Herald, 16 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
In an interview with La Parisien, Dauvergne revealed that the thieves entered the property by cutting through the border fence, then used a crowbar to break open the door and smash the detectors.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025
In episode 5, Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk) delves into his traumatic past, when his grandfather Andy (Andrew Moodie) breaks open his lockbox of negative psychic memories.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break open
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Miami Herald, 16 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
In an interview with La Parisien, Dauvergne revealed that the thieves entered the property by cutting through the border fence, then used a crowbar to break open the door and smash the detectors.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025
In episode 5, Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk) delves into his traumatic past, when his grandfather Andy (Andrew Moodie) breaks open his lockbox of negative psychic memories.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 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 19 Dec. 2025.
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