break open

phrasal verb

broke open; broken open; breaking open; breaks open
: to open or to cause (something) to open suddenly
The pods broke open and the seeds scattered on the wind.
The police broke open the door.
The burglars broke the locked safe open.

Examples of break open in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These capsules can be taken as is or broken open and added to liquids or soft foods. Willow Jarosh, Ms, Rd, Health, 18 Oct. 2024 After a cagey first half of today’s final, Swanson finally found space to break open a deadlocked match. Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 10 Aug. 2024 Those investors had been focusing heavily on cash flow because the company broke open its piggy bank a few times this year. Melvin Backman, Quartz, 5 Nov. 2024 According to the detectives' theory, Ecker broke open the bathroom door, then Pennig was shot and fell on top of the piece. Hannah Vair, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for break open 

Dictionary Entries Near break open

Cite this Entry

“Break open.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break%20open. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!