broke out

past tense of break out
as in erupted
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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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 broke out As was the case for scores of Ukrainians in Kyiv, life became fraught for the Zarutskas after the war with Russia broke out and routine bombings of the capital began. Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2025 More than 20 Carnival passengers were banned after a separate fight broke out while disembarking Carnival Jubilee in April. Nathan Diller, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025 Skip to content One summer in Brooklyn, a controversy broke out in my dog-park group chat. Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025 After Brandi fought the monster fish into the boat, Jared broke out the tape measure only to find that his wife’s catch had knocked him off the list of state record holders. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 15 Sep. 2025 After a fire broke out at the Martinez Refining Company in the San Francisco Bay Area in February, gas prices in Washington shot up by 21 cents a gallon. Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025 Katie Holmes wore an even funkier take on the style last fall, and Naomi Watts broke out a pair during a date night of her own just last month. Averi Baudler, People.com, 9 Sep. 2025 The game on August 31 ended with the Seattle Sounders beating Miami 3-0, but a scuffle broke out on the field shortly after full-time, with Suárez at the center of the action. Ben Church, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025 The Dragon Bravo Fire broke out on July 4 as a result of a lightning strike, with officials quickly responding and establishing containment lines. Megan Forrester, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke out
Verb
  • Not the grand slam that had Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal pounding his fist into his glove as Thomas circled the bases and Progressive Field erupted.
    Zack Meisel, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Mission Viejo’s football team erupted for 17 points in the fourth quarter Friday to rally past host Lincoln of San Diego 34-24 in a clash of top public school programs in Southern California.
    Dan Albano, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But his career really exploded a couple of years later, thanks to his starring role as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
    Keith Langston, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Seguin shut out Burleson 21-0, and Martin’s offense exploded for 74 points in a victory over Mansfield.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Broke out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broke%20out. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

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