breakout

American  

[breyk-out] / ˈbreɪkˌaʊt /

noun

• breakouts
  plural

1. an escape, often with the use of force, as from a prison or mental institution.

2. an appearance or manifestation, as of a disease, that is sudden and often widespread; outbreak.

3. an itemization; breakdown.

   a hotel bill with a breakout of each service offered.

4. an instance of surpassing any previous achievement.

   a breakout in gold prices.

5. the act or process of removing and disassembling equipment that has been used in drilling a well.

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adjective

1. of or constituting a sudden increase, advance, or unexpected success.

   The director has finally scored with a breakout movie.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• breakouts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of breakout

First recorded in 1810–20; noun use of verb phrase break out

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

breakout breakouts

In just under three months, 30-year-old Abhijeet Dipke - the founder and face of India's Gen Z "cockroach" protests - has acquired the kind of celebrity status normally reserved for a breakout actor or cricketer.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

The foldable is a crucial test for Apple, which has not launched a breakout hit since the AirPods 10 years ago.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

Hüller returns after a breakout 2023 Telluride, where she brought both “Anatomy of a Fall” and “The Zone of Interest.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

“Under Story,” Benjamin’s greatly anticipated follow-up to her breakout hit, is an ambitious and fantasy-inflected adventure story that unfolds in parallel universes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

“Hermione, there’s obviously been a mass breakout which the Ministry has hushed up. Travers’s hood fell off when I cursed him, he’s supposed to be inside too. But what happened to you, Remus? Where’s George?”

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

“I’ve found that it really helps brighten the skin, even the skin tone, prevents breakouts and also just helps with smell,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Dine in the historic Great Hall, participate in timely expert-led breakouts and connect with global decision makers in one of the world’s most iconic academic settings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

That’s an encouraging sign, as the strongest breakouts often work immediately.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

The breakouts happen more frequently here, and they become more debilitating.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026

When kids did stage desperate, pathetic breakouts, it had been in small groups of Reds, Oranges, and Yellows.

From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken