break out
Britishverb
-
(intr, adverb) to begin or arise suddenly
panic broke out
-
(intr, adverb) to make an escape, esp from prison or confinement
-
(of the skin) to erupt (in a rash, pimples, etc)
-
(tr, adverb) to launch or introduce (a new product)
-
(tr, adverb) to open and start using
break out the champagne
noun
-
an escape, esp from prison or confinement
-
-
a great success, esp following relatively disappointing performance
-
( as modifier )
a breakout year
-
-
Develop suddenly and forcefully. For example, A fire broke out last night , or He broke out in a sweat . [ a.d. 1000]
-
Be affected with a skin eruption, such as a rash or boils, as in A teenager's face often breaks out in pimples . [c. 1300]
-
Prepare something for consumption, action, or use, as in Let's break out the champagne , or It's such a fine day—let's break out the fishing rods . [Early 1800s]
-
break out of . Force out by breaking; also, escape from confinement. For example, The hurricane broke the glass out of all the windows , or He broke out of prison but was soon apprehended . [Early 1600s]
-
Isolate a portion of a body of data, as in Please break out the sales figures from the quarterly report . [Mid-1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Bukavu, on the shores of Lake Kivu, is known for its wooden houses built on hillsides, where deadly fires often break out.
From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026
The company discovered in July that rogue AI agents had schemed in secret to break out of the virtual sandbox created to contain them, infiltrating the open internet and hacking a private company.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
"As soon as we have a situation of pressure and boycotts, we always break out and look for other markets," he tells me.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
Marwa’s constant state of stress was causing her skin to break out.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
"In a few seconds I would break out in tears."
From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
