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
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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
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
By leaning more into her other passion, Suarez was able to break out of a shooting slump and scored 24 points in TCU’s 90-45 win over Houston on Wednesday.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Feb. 2026
Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Irritation and breakouts are normal, so patience is key.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break out
Verb
The price of poultry, the economist added, hasn’t spiked since the Ukraine war broke out in 2023, which sent corn and soybean prices (chicken feed) through the roof.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
By leaning more into her other passion, Suarez was able to break out of a shooting slump and scored 24 points in TCU’s 90-45 win over Houston on Wednesday.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
After his breakout season in Minneapolis, the expectations were high again in Seattle, but Macdonald said his quarterback has more than met them.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Irritation and breakouts are normal, so patience is key.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break out
Verb
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But when the Hanceville scandal erupted, things turned bleaker still.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Frustration erupted almost immediately.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Visit the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory for a year-round indoor escape full of lush plants.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
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But in their daring escape through the window, the crown of Empress Eugénie slipped from their grasp and was left battered on the pavement below.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Raina and her clumber spaniel, Pancake, arrived in New York via indirect flights and had been enjoying taking in the city.—
Leigh Nordstrom,
Footwear News,
4 Feb. 2026
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The staff had Curran write out a statement and later asked for Piro’s credit card to book a flight out of Cozumel.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The memorabilia market has exploded in the past 5 to 10 years, said independent appraiser Simeon Lipman, in part because there are new auction firms working directly with prop houses.—
Julie Brener Davich,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Feb. 2026
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The analyst, who has seen many tech cycles come and go since starting his career in 1987, is part of a growing chorus of voices on Wall Street arguing that AI has now warped into a bubble that risks exploding.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20out. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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