as in to erupt
to develop suddenly and violently
in the wake of news reports of deaths from the flu, panic broke out, and there was a mad rush for flu shots
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in escape
the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement
the captives had been planning to stage a breakout at the next change in shift for the guards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break out
CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Just break out the can opener, give them a quick rinse.
—Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 9 Jan. 2026
Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
Brazeau’s offensive breakout has been an even bigger surprise.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break out
Verb
In Dnipro district, parts of a drone damaged a multistory building and a fire broke out.
—CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Just break out the can opener, give them a quick rinse.
—Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
The ongoing breakout in fighting is the most severe yet, and has exposed Washington as unable to fully contain the situation.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
Brazeau’s offensive breakout has been an even bigger surprise.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break out
Verb
-
Protests have erupted in American cities since.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Near the airport, some confrontations erupted on Thursday and Friday between smaller groups of protesters and agents guarding the federal building used as a base for the Twin Cities crackdown.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Christie Brinkley is soaking up the sun on a tropical escape.—
Danielle Minnetian,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
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Whether you’re drawn to whitewater rafting, interested in the trails or looking for an escape from urban Charlotte, the Whitewater Center deserves a look.—
Bill Bootz,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Ordinarily, such crew-rotation flights last about six months, ending a few days after their successors arrive at the ISS.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
15 Jan. 2026
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Iran issued a notice, known as a NOTAM, on Wednesday closing its airspace to all flights except international civil arrivals and departures with prior permission from Iran's aviation authorities.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On social media, the concept has exploded, and the language of hormonal phases has entered everyday conversation.—
Jackie Snow,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2026
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These will allow Lazuli to investigate the atmospheres of Earth-like planets and shed light on the processes governing exploding stars.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20out. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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