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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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
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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
Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
She was also once named CMT’s breakout artist of the year.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 29 Apr. 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
With the June 2 primary weeks away and many voters still undecided, candidates scrabbled for airtime and breakout moments during the chaotic 90-minute debate.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
She was also once named CMT’s breakout artist of the year.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break out
Verb
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Those gathered at Inter&Co Stadium erupted into cheers.—
Camila Gomez,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
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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
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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
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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
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Instead of going near the moon, the mission will serve as a test flight in which a new crew of astronauts aboard an Orion capsule will dock in Earth orbit with at least one of the commercial lunar landers being developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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Getting there Reaching Culebra requires a ferry, small flight, or private sailing charter from mainland Puerto Rico.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Walks have exploded under new ABS system With the introduction of challenges, MLB had to essentially redefine the strike zone to ensure that the tracking system would consistently and accurately measure what actually is a strike or ball.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Freedom from nonstop sound effects Some ballparks are worse than others, but the trend of teams that pump up the volume and inject sound effects between pitches, similar to an NBA game, is exploding.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20out. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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