as in erupting
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
Example 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 breaking out
The new trailer offers glimpses of Candy’s upbringing in Toronto, as well as his earliest screen roles before breaking out in 1980s hits Stripes, National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Spaceballs (1987) and more — including 1987's Planes, Trains and Automobiles, which inspired the documentary's title.
—
Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Without breaking out of the Vulcan mode, Oswalt nicely conveys the character’s unlikely charisma.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
White was a bit of a disappointment over his first four years in the league, actually showing some clear signs of regression in 2021-22 and 2022-23 before finally breaking out a couple of seasons ago.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
The movie also begins after Superman ignites an international incident by stopping a war from breaking out between the fictional neighboring nations Boravia and Jarhanpur.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
In a video obtained by Fox News Digital, an unidentified man can be heard yelling racial slurs while being beaten in the street, with some claiming the male victim slapped the perpetrator prior to the fight breaking out.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2025
After breaking out on The Good Place and seducing us to the Dark Side as a smoldering Sith Daddy (#savetheacolyte), Jacinto is at long last getting his due as a romantic leading man.
—Maureen Lee Lenker Published, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Without breaking out of the Vulcan mode, Oswalt nicely conveys the character’s unlikely charisma.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
White was a bit of a disappointment over his first four years in the league, actually showing some clear signs of regression in 2021-22 and 2022-23 before finally breaking out a couple of seasons ago.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
The movie also begins after Superman ignites an international incident by stopping a war from breaking out between the fictional neighboring nations Boravia and Jarhanpur.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
In a video obtained by Fox News Digital, an unidentified man can be heard yelling racial slurs while being beaten in the street, with some claiming the male victim slapped the perpetrator prior to the fight breaking out.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2025
After breaking out on The Good Place and seducing us to the Dark Side as a smoldering Sith Daddy (#savetheacolyte), Jacinto is at long last getting his due as a romantic leading man.
—Maureen Lee Lenker Published, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking out
Verb
-
Ahmad Hardy continued his stellar start to the season, erupting for a single-game career-best 250 yards and three touchdowns on just 22 carries.—
Scott Chasen,
Kansas City Star,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Images have emerged of disorder erupting in the capital.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The unknown object collides with another moving object arriving from the opposite direction, exploding in a bright flash of light.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Elsewhere online, wellness culture was exploding.—
Clare Malone,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breaking out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking%20out. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share