breakout

1 of 3

noun

break·​out ˈbrāk-ˌau̇t How to pronounce breakout (audio)
plural breakouts
1
: a violent or forceful break from a restraining condition or situation: such as
a
: a military attack to break from encirclement
b
: an escape from prison or jail
2
a
: an eruption or inflammation of the skin
Because stress can throw your hormones out of balance, it can make normal sebaceous glands produce oil at an increased rate, causing breakouts.Harper's Bazaar
b
: an outbreak of disease
a measles breakout
3
: a success or accomplishment especially in comparison to previous efforts
His breakout in 2006 felt like one of those too-good-to-be-true narratives …S. L. Price
4
: breakout session
They met in breakouts to exchange beat information and story ideas on the crucial coverage areas …Editor & Publisher
5
ice hockey : a play that moves the puck out of the defensive zone
… several drills during practice stressed short, crisp passing on the breakouts.David J. Neal

breakout

2 of 3

adjective

1
: being or relating to a sudden or overwhelming success especially in comparison to previous efforts
a breakout book
2
: being, relating to, or used in a breakout session
a breakout discussion
breakout activities
… some students have thrived in the small groups afforded by virtual breakout rooms.Jal Mehta
In breakout groups, they debated which proposals would have the most impact, but also the most support.Hannan Adely

break out

3 of 3

verb

broke out; broken out; breaking out; breaks out

intransitive verb

1
: to develop or emerge with suddenness or force
fire broke out
a riot broke out
2
a
: to become covered
break out in a sweat
b
: to become affected with an eruption or inflammation of the skin
break out in hives
his face broke out with acne
3
: to make a break from a restraining condition or situation
broke out of a slump
broke out of jail

transitive verb

1
a
: to make ready for action or use
break out the tents and make camp
b
: to produce for consumption
break out a bottle of champagne
2
: to display flying and unfurled
3
: to separate from a mass of data
break out newsstand sales

Examples of breakout in a Sentence

Noun the captives had been planning to stage a breakout at the next change in shift for the guards Adjective The company had a breakout year last year, tripling its profits from the previous year. Verb in the wake of news reports of deaths from the flu, panic broke out, and there was a mad rush for flu shots
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
With works including the 2022 breakout hit Semantic Error and FC Soldout currently airing, SINXITY and AXIS are inevitably shifting the norms of what and how Korean-pop entertainment operates simply in the name of creativity — and openly support other industry shakers. Jeff Benjamin, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2025 Aud Mason-Hyde, one of the breakouts of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, has signed with Artists First for management. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
It was amplified with the breakout success of his group Years & Years in the early 2010s. Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 10 Feb. 2025 Rising to fame with her breakout role in Girls Trip, Haddish’s journey from stand-up comedy to Hollywood stardom is a testament to her talent and resilience. Essence, 9 Feb. 2025
Verb
Local communities are more likely to trust and accept these organizations, mitigating the potential for local-level conflict to break out as a result of mistrust or misperception. Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2025 Firefighters said two SUVs parked at fire hydrants hampered their ability to fight the blaze that broke out 3:35 a.m. Sunday. Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for breakout 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of breakout was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near breakout

Cite this Entry

“Breakout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breakout. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

break out

verb
1
: to develop or erupt suddenly and with force
fire broke out
a riot broke out
2
: to develop a skin rash
broke out in hives

Medical Definition

breakout

1 of 2 noun
break·​out ˈbrā-ˌkau̇t How to pronounce breakout (audio)
: an eruption or inflammation of the skin
This is especially true for those who have acne and are desperate to stop breakouts without taking prescription antibiotics …Stacie Stukin, The Los Angeles Times
Because stress can throw your hormones out of balance, it can make normal sebaceous glands produce oil at an increased rate, causing breakouts.Harper's Bazaar

break out

2 of 2 intransitive verb
1
: to be affected with a skin eruption and especially one indicative of the presence of a particular disease
breaking out with measles
2
of a disease : to manifest itself by skin eruptions
3
: to become covered with
break out in a sweat

More from Merriam-Webster on breakout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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