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

Some of those shows received mixed reviews, though “The Mandalorian” and “Rogue One” spin-off “Andor” were breakout hits, praised by critics and largely revered by fans.

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026

Meanwhile, 1Q was a breakout period for agentic AI, with many companies moving from experimental pilot programs to full-scale enterprise deployment, they say.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

Adam Brody, “Nobody Wants This” “Another nomination is coming for one, if not both, of the ‘Only Murders in the Building’ guys, but I think ‘Shrinking’s’ breakout season puts Jason Segel a bit above them.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

“While owning Nvidia earnings volatility has generally been a losing trade of late, we remind investors of the recent signs of a potential breakout, including an uptick in call buying,” Jacobson added.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

Lee’s final great hope for a breakout came the previous night.

From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly