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.
Stronger winds would also allow any fires that do break out to spread more rapidly and become harder to contain.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
The ETF previously attempted to break out above an inverse head-and-shoulders pattern near the $106 level but failed to hold that move.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
Micron Technology’s stock remains very well-priced despite its explosive rally this year, but some analysts think it could soon break out of the bargain bin.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 26, 2026
Where mortgage rates settle in the second half of the year is crucial to the housing market’s ability to break out of a stubborn sales slump, which is now well into its fourth consecutive year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
And a sort of panic was beginning to break out among the firemen and the policemen on the rooftop.
From "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl
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.
