BREAKING OUT (OF) Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

breaking out (of)

verb

present participle of break out (of)

as in escaping

to get free from a dangerous or confining situation at last she decided to break out of her suffocating marriage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking out (of)

Verb

The agency gets the images within 48 hours, then sends out notices to landfill and oil and gas operators when methane is seen escaping.

— Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Purdy has been brilliant at moving within and escaping the pocket.

— Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of escaping

Verb

Witnesses to the March 8 shooting reported seeing a white Tesla Model 3 with a paper license plate fleeing the scene.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026
Attorneys for Carter, who is Black, have said witnesses saw a White man fleeing the crime scene and that an investigator suppressed evidence that could implicate other suspects, including the victim’s husband, Orla Olesen.

— Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of fleeing

Verb

But surveillance footage reviewed by another deputy showed the Mustang arriving at the parking lot without anyone getting out before deputies arrived, per the citation.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
Looking at the slate today, there are a lot of good games, but some lines are getting out of hand because of the matchups.

— David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of getting out

Verb

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian went viral following his team’s miraculous 24-23 comeback against Ohio State this past Saturday after running off from a postgame interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe.

— Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
In the series, Cash plays Caleb Hodgekiss, an ex-con stepping in for the town’s injured Reverend with the intention of robbing worshippers and running off.

— Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of running off

Verb

The nor'easter that has been bringing bands of rain and heavy winds to New York, New Jersey and the Tri-State Area is finally clearing out.

— Justin Lewis, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
Activating young adults Volunteers spent most of the morning clearing out years of overgrowth, decaying structures and a greenhouse gone wild.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of clearing out

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

breaking out

breaking out (of)

breaking out (with)

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Breaking out (of).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking%20out%20%28of%29. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of breaking out (of)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perseverate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes