breakout

American  

[breyk-out] / ˈbreɪkˌaʊt /

noun

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.

Etymology

Origin of breakout

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

Example Sentences

There was a breakout in the first season of The Hundred in 2021, before England debuts the following year, and three World Cups and two Ashes series since.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

The Charlotte Hornets’ sniper is the breakout star of his draft class.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

A double bottom breakout occurred above a $40.98 pivot from Feb. 27, 2026, which saw the stock jump 6% on firm volume.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

In his 2012 breakout “Housemaids,” Mascaro gave cameras to seven teenagers and asked them to record how they treated their help.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 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