1 B1 idiomatic neutral
to escape from a place such as prison or confinement
"Three inmates broke out during the night."
inseparable
break out
B1 neutral mixed transitive/intransitive
to escape, begin suddenly, or appear on the skin
In plain English
to get out, start fast, or suddenly appear
What does "break out" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
to start suddenly, especially of war, fire, disease, or violence
"A fire broke out in the market just after dawn."
“
War broke out in Europe.
— common historical phrasing in news and history writing; exact single source not specified
inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
to suddenly develop spots or a rash on the skin
"He broke out in red patches after eating shellfish."
inseparable
4 B2 idiomatic informal
to take something out for use or display
"We broke out the good plates for the holiday meal."
separable
Usage tip
Very common across news, everyday speech, and health contexts. Meaning depends on the subject.
Words that pair with "break out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
war fire prison rash violence laughter
How to conjugate "break out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
break out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
breaks out
he/she/it
Past simple
broke out
yesterday
Past participle
broken out
have + pp
-ing form
breaking out
continuous
Hear "break out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "break out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "break out"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.