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

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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.
Second, each lock must be secure, requiring great effort to break open without the right key. — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 25 July 2025 While in court, he was forced to break open one of the bulbs, leaving one of them cracked. — Cam'ron Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025 Eventually, the door broke open and the men snuck into another cell. — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 20 May 2025 Freshman receiver Percy Harvin broke open the SEC title game against then-No. 8 Arkansas with a 67-yard touchdown run. — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for break open

Rhymes for break open

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Browse Nearby Words

break (one's) stride
break open
breakout
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Cite this Entry

“Break open.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break%20open. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025.

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