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
Relevance
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
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.
Recent Examples of break out
Brayden Garcia
may 1, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 May 2026
Hawks guard Dyson Daniels and Knicks center Mitchell Robinson were both ejected after a fight broke out in the second quarter when New York had stretched its lead to 50 points.
—Rashad Williams, CBS News, 1 May 2026
Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
There were nearly 150 Canadians on Division I college rosters this past season, including South Carolina’s Agot Makeer — a breakout star in the NCAA Tournament.
—Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for break out
Verb
Guns are loaded, a brawl breaks out in a bar and Rip rides away from a fire on horseback.
—Brayden Garcia
may 1, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 May 2026
Hawks guard Dyson Daniels and Knicks center Mitchell Robinson were both ejected after a fight broke out in the second quarter when New York had stretched its lead to 50 points.
—Rashad Williams, CBS News, 1 May 2026
Noun
Golov argued that a nuclear-only agreement would leave Iran free to rebuild a missile shield protecting a future nuclear breakout.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
There were nearly 150 Canadians on Division I college rosters this past season, including South Carolina’s Agot Makeer — a breakout star in the NCAA Tournament.
—Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for break out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break out
Verb
-
Those gathered at Inter&Co Stadium erupted into cheers.—
Camila Gomez,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
-
Police were responding to a domestic dispute in Queens when an explosion suddenly erupted, sending officers flying.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
But there is a difference between grace and escape — and in the past couple of weeks, three members of Congress chose escape.—
Nick Weston,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
-
And Parker, a longtime coast dweller, figured that the night’s high tide offered the whale its best—and possibly only—chance of escape.—
Robin Romm,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
The most common indulgence by far was alcohol, but many flyers also turn to marijuana edibles and non-prescribed medication to deal with flight jitters.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
-
The man is believed to have traveled on the same flight as one of the two patients evacuated to Johannesburg for treatment in late April.—
Frank Andrews,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
While the video game market stood at a whopping $219 billion in 2024, the competition in games has exploded over the past decade or so, with 19,000 games being released in 2023 for consoles and PC, compared to just under 2,000 in 2014, according to data from consulting firm Bain & Company.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
-
The second one, the one that exploded in Carter’s hands, was round with paper around it and about the size of a baseball.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20out. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
