break out 1 of 2

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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breakout

2 of 2

noun

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 break out
Verb
Before the Palisades and Eaton fires broke out, lawmakers were gathering ideas to slow fast-rising electric rates. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2025 Fistfights broke out between concertgoers and ushers after the cancellation was announced to the 19,000 fans. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
Egg white face masks, made by slathering raw egg whites onto your skin, are said to help with breakouts, dry skin, and fine lines. Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 7 Apr. 2025 In her Rolling Stone cover story, the 27-year-old noted the influx of musicians who reached out to offer their support during her overwhelming breakout year. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for break out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break out
Verb
  • However, predicting if and when such jets could erupt from Sgr A* again isn't as easy as spotting evidence of its historical activity.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Fury erupted on the streets, which quickly devolved into burning and looting.
    George B. Sánchez-Tello, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Maybe after a decade and a half of ruling the charts, the only thing that offers Aubrey Graham an escape from anhedonia is the fleeting euphoria of a lottery hit.
    Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 16 Apr. 2025
  • At least two made it to the Missouri River – the first captured in Boonville, Missouri, and the largest, a 3-footer, pulled from the river near Jefferson City by a fisherman, nearly three months after its escape.
    Jeremy Drouin, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In the decades following the Clifford Ball, the popularity of music festivals exploded, a trend that Phish inadvertently helped engineer.
    Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
  • One thing is clear: Nationwide injunctions against Trump’s policies by federal district court judges have exploded during his time in the White House, while those against the policies of Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden also increased, but to a much lesser extent.
    Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The incident occurred ahead of Sporting Charleroi’s 1-0 home victory over Standard Liege in the Jupiler Pro League, the top flight of Belgian football.
    Leon Imber, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The craft use this data to reroute themselves around the problem, then report back to save subsequent flights the hassle.
    Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 8 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Break out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20out. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

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