break out 1 of 2

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

breakout

2 of 2

noun

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
Verb
Gun battles broke out across the northern neighborhood of Nueva Prosperina on Thursday afternoon between members of criminal group Los Tiguerones, local police chief Pablo Davila told reporters. Fox News, 7 Mar. 2025 For every jogger who switches to the treadmill when the temperature drops, there’s another who breaks out their base layers and braves the cold to log their miles. Sara Coughlin, SELF, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
British information and analytics company RELX could see a breakout as broader market uncertainty grows, according to Barclays. Brian Evans, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2025 On Peacock, Gold Zone emerged as a breakout hit, providing a new way for streaming viewers to follow the action. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for break out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break out
Verb
  • Self Tour Pompeii When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD and coated the city of Pompeii in ash and debris to a depth of 23 feet (seven meters), the population at the time was fifteen to twenty thousand, or about that of Jackson, Wyoming or Bangor in Wales today.
    Tom Mullen, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Plans to redevelop a piece of Idaho’s second-oldest golf course — and the oldest in Southern Idaho — could soon move forward after a neighborhood on the edge of State Street erupted into objections over similar plans six years ago.
    Nick Rosenberger, Idaho Statesman, 16 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The Reality: Most Will Not Be Able to Enter Canada Trump’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants has left many searching for an escape, but Canada will not be a viable refuge for the vast majority.
    Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Samantha Bonar, at the fire’s eastern edge in Pasadena, was thinking the same thing after making a quick escape.
    Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Even today, gangsta and drill rappers make headlines right here in Chicago when their music explodes into rivalries and retaliatory murders.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Then people start getting killed: a fatal injection in the shower, someone who gets shot and falls into an exploding brickhouse of fireworks, and plenty of knives out.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Between the long flight, the jet lag and the late-night celebrations, Khloé, 40, and Kim, 44, were exhausted.
    Erin Clack, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
  • That flight featured a round-number milestone for SpaceX — the 400th landing to date of a Falcon 9 first stage.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 15 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Break out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20out. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on break out

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!