as in erupts
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 breaks out
Packing a tent, space blanket, tarp and bivy can help you be prepared if severe weather breaks out or your plan takes a turn.
—
Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaks out
Verb
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Gunfire erupts at Minneapolis Catholic school.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
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Social media erupts with assumptions about psychiatric conditions.—
Victor Petreca,
Time,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Not the kind that explodes into shouting matches, but the silent, slow-burning kind.—
Stephan Lendi,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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As Kevin, a truly reluctant hero who can’t escape his fundamental goodness, attempts to drive the kids and Mary across town, the Camp Fire explodes.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breaks out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaks%20out. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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