as in erupted
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 broke out
Hundreds of vessels and thousands of mariners are still stranded in and around the strait, where traffic had flowed freely for decades before the Iran war broke out.
—
Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 6 May 2026
When the Persian Gulf War broke out in 1990, the importance of a 24-hour news channel became clear.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
Season 1 of the medical drama broke out in a major way in 2025, winning five Emmys, including outstanding drama series, lead actor for Noah Wyle, supporting actress for Katherine LaNasa, casting and Hatosy’s guest victory.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
But when the war broke out days later, mortgage rates jumped alongside bond yields.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
On April 1st, Muir Burgos was moved to Canaleta, an adult prison, where a violent riot broke out in February, driven by food shortages, lack of medical care and abuse.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
In Arlington, Texas, a brawl broke out in the stands between fans of the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, which was caught from various angles on cellphone videos and immediately posted to social media for entertainment.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
They were called after multiple brawls involving as many as 100 people, most of whom were juveniles, broke out at the park.
—Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Those coded messages, along with the calls to defend the countries’ ties, point to London’s hopes that Charles can be a tool to repair transatlantic fractures that have deepened since the Iran war broke out.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 6 May 2026
When the Persian Gulf War broke out in 1990, the importance of a 24-hour news channel became clear.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
Season 1 of the medical drama broke out in a major way in 2025, winning five Emmys, including outstanding drama series, lead actor for Noah Wyle, supporting actress for Katherine LaNasa, casting and Hatosy’s guest victory.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
But when the war broke out days later, mortgage rates jumped alongside bond yields.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
On April 1st, Muir Burgos was moved to Canaleta, an adult prison, where a violent riot broke out in February, driven by food shortages, lack of medical care and abuse.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
In Arlington, Texas, a brawl broke out in the stands between fans of the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, which was caught from various angles on cellphone videos and immediately posted to social media for entertainment.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
They were called after multiple brawls involving as many as 100 people, most of whom were juveniles, broke out at the park.
—Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Those coded messages, along with the calls to defend the countries’ ties, point to London’s hopes that Charles can be a tool to repair transatlantic fractures that have deepened since the Iran war broke out.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke out
Verb
-
When the Red Sox won in extra innings, the place erupted.—
Peter Folan,
Boston Herald,
2 May 2026
-
Those gathered at Inter&Co Stadium erupted into cheers.—
Camila Gomez,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
This was the reactor that exploded on April 26, 1986, and sent radioactive fallout across Europe.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
8 May 2026
-
Jafa exploded on the art world a decade ago, when Love Is the Message, the Message Is Death had a surprise debut at Art Basel in Switzerland, before becoming a sensation when Gavin Brown debuted it in New York ahead of the 2016 election.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Broke out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broke%20out. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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