as in erupting
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
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Recent Examples of breaking out
Raleigh snapped the longest hitless streak in the major leagues during the team’s 10-2 win over the Astors on Tuesday, breaking out of an 0-38 slump with a pair of singles.
—
Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Rookies were instructed through stretches and warmups before breaking out into positional drills during the media-viewing portion of rookie minicamp.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026
Height turned 25 two weeks ago after playing six seasons at four schools, finally breaking out with the Red Raiders in 2025.
—Vic Tafur, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
According to Rubin, 37, the Angels & Airwaves musician is allegedly known for breaking out alien autopsy images.
—Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Perry sat behind upperclassmen for two seasons, before breaking out as a junior and leading the Wolverines to two state championships.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
Survival of the mid-major programs depends on breaking out and forming their own conglomeration.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
But just then, a battle was breaking out on a podium just a few yards away.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
Police said the gathering soon turned contentious, with multiple fights breaking out, and a judge recently sentenced one of the men involved.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Rookies were instructed through stretches and warmups before breaking out into positional drills during the media-viewing portion of rookie minicamp.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026
Height turned 25 two weeks ago after playing six seasons at four schools, finally breaking out with the Red Raiders in 2025.
—Vic Tafur, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
According to Rubin, 37, the Angels & Airwaves musician is allegedly known for breaking out alien autopsy images.
—Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Perry sat behind upperclassmen for two seasons, before breaking out as a junior and leading the Wolverines to two state championships.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
Survival of the mid-major programs depends on breaking out and forming their own conglomeration.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
But just then, a battle was breaking out on a podium just a few yards away.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
Police said the gathering soon turned contentious, with multiple fights breaking out, and a judge recently sentenced one of the men involved.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking out
Verb
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Their journey to the World Cup has been uniquely fraught, with a war erupting between the host of their matches and their home country.—
Iliana Limón Romero,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
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His post included a photo of a large plume of black smoke erupting from a field.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Pai saw how the industry was exploding, how brands such as Maui and Son, Gotcha and Quiksilver were flying off the shelves, inventory gone after the weekend.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
21 June 2026
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Another survey will prompt the telescope to observe one specific region every five days over the course of two years to learn more about objects within the cosmos that change over time, such as exploding stars.—
Eleanor Jacobs,
PEOPLE,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breaking out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking%20out. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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