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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break out
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
By leaning more into her other passion, Suarez was able to break out of a shooting slump and scored 24 points in TCU’s 90-45 win over Houston on Wednesday.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Feb. 2026
Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Irritation and breakouts are normal, so patience is key.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break out
Verb
The price of poultry, the economist added, hasn’t spiked since the Ukraine war broke out in 2023, which sent corn and soybean prices (chicken feed) through the roof.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
By leaning more into her other passion, Suarez was able to break out of a shooting slump and scored 24 points in TCU’s 90-45 win over Houston on Wednesday.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
After his breakout season in Minneapolis, the expectations were high again in Seattle, but Macdonald said his quarterback has more than met them.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Irritation and breakouts are normal, so patience is key.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break out
Verb
-
News of the possible project erupted last month after reports emerged that the federal government was eyeing the large, empty warehouse in a south Kansas City industrial park for an immigration detention center with thousands of beds.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
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Violence erupted in Kansas in 1854, not over fugitive slaves but over the prospect of slavery taking hold there.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Visit the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory for a year-round indoor escape full of lush plants.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
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But in their daring escape through the window, the crown of Empress Eugénie slipped from their grasp and was left battered on the pavement below.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The airline typically doubles cargo capacity for the holiday, adding nearly 300 flights this season.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
12 Feb. 2026
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The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The benign case is that China is doing small-scale testing to ensure its weapons won't explode accidentally.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
11 Feb. 2026
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Butler started WeSchool more recently, when interest in at-home learning exploded during the pandemic.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20out. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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