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

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breakout

2 of 2

noun

Examples 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
On one of his first nights at a club called Onyx, a fight broke out in the parking lot that escalated into an all-out brawl. Jesse Hyde, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2025 Republicans in the chamber broke out in a standing ovation. Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 3 Jan. 2025
Noun
Their breakout came when they were discovered by Andy Williams, who invited them to perform regularly on The Andy Williams Show. Darryn King, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025 Emilia Perez and Conclave are trailed by Mubi’s summer breakout The Substance, Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, and the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, which appear on 11 longlists. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 3 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for break out 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break out
Verb
  • Social-media use intensified the new dynamics of online activism: The most striking early Twitter mobbing erupted in December 2013.
    David Frum, The Atlantic, 15 Jan. 2025
  • The singer is part of the wider music community who have pulled together since the wildfires erupted on Jan. 7, killing at least 25 people and damaging more than 12,000 homes and buildings.
    Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Chances are, with this cheat seemingly becoming more of an issue, a lot of Escape From Tarkov players will switch to the controversial PvE mode in the coming days to avoid them.
    Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
  • Divine retribution was a central theme, but the possibility of escape was often embedded.
    Teju Cole, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • At age 25, Bobby Dalbec exploded into the consciousness of Boston Red Sox fans in the second half of 2021.
    Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Peters scribbled his scoop on X and the update exploded, generating more than 3M views.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • What To Know On Monday, Bavarian State Police reported that drone flights were spotted over German armed forces (Bundeswehr) sites in Manching and Neuburg an der Donau.
    John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
  • In September, the company slashed its flights from Atlanta, eliminating jobs, though staff were able to apply to work out of other bases.
    Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Break out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20out. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

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