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
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Recent Examples of broke out
On June 23, the Legally Blonde star, 50, broke out her Elle Woods best for the premiere of Elle, a brand-new series chronicling her famous character’s life before her time at Harvard Law.
—
Alyssa Grabinski,
PEOPLE,
30 June 2026
The film broke out as a cultural phenomenon, becoming one of the most profitable in cinema history with a minimal budget and a worldwide gross of around $194 million.
—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
30 June 2026
The blaze broke out Tuesday in a naphtha pipeline at a facility operated by Haldia Petrochemicals and quickly spread to nearby homes in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of the state capital, Kolkata.
—
ABC News,
30 June 2026
Investigators believe that the shooting happened after a fight involving multiple people broke out in the alley.
—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
However, some rode electric bikes — causing concerns about traffic safety — and at least two fights involving minors broke out.
—
Diamy Wang,
Charlotte Observer,
29 June 2026
For The Times) When the Boyle Heights fire broke out, Mayor Karen Bass was on her way to the dedication of the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2026
Violence again broke out in Lebanon Tuesday.
—
Munir Ahmed,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
That fits well with guard Keyonte George, who broke out last season and had his best year as a professional.
—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
Alyssa Grabinski,
PEOPLE,
30 June 2026
The film broke out as a cultural phenomenon, becoming one of the most profitable in cinema history with a minimal budget and a worldwide gross of around $194 million.
—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
30 June 2026
The blaze broke out Tuesday in a naphtha pipeline at a facility operated by Haldia Petrochemicals and quickly spread to nearby homes in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of the state capital, Kolkata.
—
ABC News,
30 June 2026
Investigators believe that the shooting happened after a fight involving multiple people broke out in the alley.
—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
However, some rode electric bikes — causing concerns about traffic safety — and at least two fights involving minors broke out.
—
Diamy Wang,
Charlotte Observer,
29 June 2026
For The Times) When the Boyle Heights fire broke out, Mayor Karen Bass was on her way to the dedication of the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2026
Violence again broke out in Lebanon Tuesday.
—
Munir Ahmed,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
That fits well with guard Keyonte George, who broke out last season and had his best year as a professional.
—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke out
Verb
-
Chisholm did not appear to go around and immediately erupted over the lack of an appeal, forcing Boone and first base coach Dan Fiorito to intervene.
-
The ovation that erupted when Guzelimian walked out to introduce the festival’s closing concert was a fitting acknowledgment that golden-age concerts do not happen by themselves.
Verb
-
Rey exploded on Ethan with 10-count punches, but a tilt-a-whirl was countered by Page with a sitout faceplant.
-
The package exploded when the victims arrived, according to Thibault.
Cite this Entry
“Broke out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broke%20out. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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