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
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
Jesse Hyde, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2025
Republicans in the chamber broke out in a standing ovation.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 3 Jan. 2025
Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Jan. 2025
Jon Heyman of the New York Post predicts the breakout outfielder to sign for $26 million.
—John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for 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
Since her breakout movie role at age 12 in 2006’s Akeelah and the Bee, Palmer has conquered nearly every medium there is.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Jan. 2025
Jon Heyman of the New York Post predicts the breakout outfielder to sign for $26 million.
—John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 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
Thesaurus Entries Near break out
Cite this Entry
“Break out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20out. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share