break open

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The novel partnership between students and police to break open a decades-old murder case, with a love triangle at its center, was irresistible fodder for the media’s true-crime boom.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

Indiana’s defensive line was remarkable, constantly harassing Buckeye quarterback Julian Sayin, limiting his ability to break open the field with all that NFL-ready talent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 7, 2025

Shaking can break open new rock surfaces, force out fluids that were previously sealed away, and redirect the flow of water through the subsurface.

From Science Daily • Nov. 25, 2025

But about three years after death, once the organic matter has decomposed, loved ones break open the front slab of the chamber.

From Barron's • Oct. 22, 2025

It took some work to break open the things—but a couple of former soldiers like Alec and Lana were trained to break open things, weren’t they?

From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner