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
CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Just break out the can opener, give them a quick rinse.
—Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 9 Jan. 2026
Kayti Burt, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
As for special accolades, Odessa A’zion (Chalamet’s skeptical love in Marty Supreme), Sinners’ charismatic Miles Caton, and One Battle After Another breakout Chase Infiniti are among the fresh names on GALECA’s shortlist for Rising Star of the Year.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 14 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
In an alternate version of Korea ruled by a constitutional monarchy, Lovely Runner breakout Byeon Woo-seok stars as melancholic modern-day prince Yi An.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
As for special accolades, Odessa A’zion (Chalamet’s skeptical love in Marty Supreme), Sinners’ charismatic Miles Caton, and One Battle After Another breakout Chase Infiniti are among the fresh names on GALECA’s shortlist for Rising Star of the Year.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break out
Verb
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Protests have erupted in American cities since.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
11 Jan. 2026
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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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Guests on these bespoke flights can remain in the air for aerial views or touch down to explore the parks.—
Brittany Anas,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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Air Force One, or AF1 on flight tracking websites, is the call sign for whatever plane the president is aboard, not the name of the aircraft itself.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
21 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 21 Jan. 2026.
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