break out
/breɪk aʊt/
Meaning
To start suddenly (usually referring to something unpleasant like a war, fire, epidemic, or skin condition). It can also mean to escape from a place of confinement like a prison.
Examples
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A massive fire broke out in the old warehouse downtown last night.
A massive fire broke out in the old warehouse downtown last night.
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She broke out in hives after eating the seafood pasta.
She broke out in hives after eating the seafood pasta.
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Fighting broke out between the two rival groups after the match.
Fighting broke out between the two rival groups after the match.
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Three dangerous prisoners managed to break out of the local jail.
Three dangerous prisoners managed to break out of the local jail.
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I always break out in pimples when I get stressed before exams.
I always break out in pimples when I get stressed before exams.
Common Mistakes
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✗ The fire broke out itself in the kitchen.
✓ The fire broke out in the kitchen.
'Break out' is an intransitive phrasal verb in this context; it does not take a reflexive pronoun like 'itself'.
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✗ I broke out with a rash.
✓ I broke out in a rash.
When a skin condition suddenly appears, the correct preposition to use after 'break out' is 'in' (e.g., 'break out in a rash/hives/sweat').
Related Expressions
Practice
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Panic began to ___ when the alarm started ringing.
💡 Start suddenly.
Show answer
break out
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My skin always seems to ___ whenever I try a new facial cream.
💡 Develop acne or a rash.
Show answer
break out