Synonyms of break out

break out 1 of 2

verb

as in to erupt

to develop suddenly and violently

in the wake of news reports of deaths from the flu, panic broke out, and there was a mad rush for flu shots

Synonyms & Similar Words

• erupt
• burst (forth)
• explode
• flare (up)
• blaze (up)
• flame
• swell
• mount
• rocket
• skyrocket
• touch off
• proliferate
• multiply
• wax
• detonate
• mushroom
• snowball
• blow up
• balloon
• burgeon

breakout

2 of 2

noun

ˈbrāk-ˌau̇t 

as in escape

the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement

the captives had been planning to stage a breakout at the next change in shift for the guards

Synonyms & Similar Words

• escape
• flight
• break
• rout
• getaway
• bunk
• rescue
• slip
• liberation
• lam
• redemption
• release
• salvation
• deliverance
• jailbreak
• close call
• close shave
• near miss

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• confinement
• imprisonment
• incarceration
• captivity
• retention
• holding
• custody
• risk
• detention
• trouble
• hold
• internment
• hazard
• jeopardy
• immurement
• peril
• imperilment
• endangerment

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of break out

Verb

Aaron Rodgers’ downfield ability backed the defense off the line and allowed the Pittsburgh running game to break out at six yards per carry. — Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026

OpenAI models broke out of testing environments, gained access to the open internet, and intruded into Hugging Face’s computer systems. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026

Noun

Quiñonez had a breakout freshman season with the Huskies as she was named the conference’s Freshman and Sixth Woman of the Year. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 1 Oct. 2026

Importantly, the bullish breakout in early 2023 proved to be only the beginning of a much larger advance that ultimately extended into late 2025. — Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2026