prison break

USAGE SUMMARY

'prison break' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used in many contexts, but most commonly refers to a situation where a prisoner or a group of prisoners escape from a prison. For example: "The investigation into the prison break at Alcatraz will be headed by the FBI."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Prison Break" was night and day.

The New York Times - Arts

Your relationship began with "Prison Break".

The New York Times - Arts

He called the prison break a disaster.

The New York Times

Indeed, death meant little in Prison Break.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

I really got into Prison Break.

The Guardian - Sport

Sometimes a prison break requires bombs.

The New York Times

8 P.M. (Fox) PRISON BREAK -- Season premiere.

The New York Times

· Prison Break, 10pm, Mondays, on Five.

The Guardian - Film

P2 Prison Break actor slams body-shamers.

The Guardian

"Prison Break" is a real thriller.

The New York Times - Arts

Before Prison Break, Miller's career was unremarkable.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about a "prison break", consider the context and choose the most appropriate synonym to add variety and precision to your writing. For example, "jailbreak" might be suitable for informal contexts, while "escape from prison" is a more neutral option.

Common error

Avoid repetitive use of "prison break" in creative writing by incorporating synonyms and related phrases like "escape from prison", "jailbreak", or "mass escape" to enhance the narrative and maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prison break" functions primarily as a noun phrase, typically used as the subject or object of a sentence. As demonstrated by Ludwig, it refers to the event of prisoners escaping from a correctional facility. This noun phrase denotes an action or incident.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "prison break" is a common and grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe an escape from a correctional facility. Ludwig AI analysis indicates the phrase is most frequently found in news and media contexts, with a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal writing. While "prison break" is widely accepted, writers can use synonyms like "jailbreak" or "escape from prison" to enhance clarity or avoid repetition. Ludwig confirms the phrase's validity and provides numerous examples of its usage in authoritative sources, highlighting its role in conveying factual events related to crime and security. This analysis enables writers to use the term effectively, avoiding common pitfalls like overuse and ensuring appropriateness across diverse communication platforms.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

jailbreak

This is a single-word synonym, directly replacing "prison break" with a more concise term.

escape from prison

This alternative uses a verb-preposition construction to convey the action of escaping.

prisoner escape

This reverses the word order, emphasizing the prisoner as the subject of the action.

breakout from jail

This uses "breakout" as a noun, similar in meaning to "prison break", with "jail" instead of "prison".

mass escape

This refers to an event when many prisoners escape simultaneously.

escape attempt

Focuses on the effort to escape, regardless of success.

flight from captivity

This uses more formal language to describe escaping from imprisonment.

evasion of incarceration

This is a formal and legalistic way of describing avoiding imprisonment.

going over the wall

This is an idiomatic and informal way to say that someone escaped from prison.

absconding from custody

This legal term describes fleeing from legal detention or supervision.

FAQs

What is another way to say "prison break"?

You can use synonyms such as "jailbreak", "escape from prison", or "prisoner escape" depending on the context.

Is "prison break" a formal or informal term?

"Prison break" is generally considered a neutral term suitable for both formal and informal contexts, although more formal alternatives like "flight from captivity" exist for legal or academic writing.

How do I use "prison break" in a sentence?

You can use "prison break" as a noun phrase: "The news reported a large "prison break" at the state penitentiary." Alternatively, you could say: "The prisoners planned a daring "prison break"".

What's the difference between "prison break" and "jailbreak"?

"Prison break" and "jailbreak" are often used interchangeably, but "prison" typically refers to a state or federal facility, while "jail" is usually a local or county facility. Thus, "prison break" implies escape from a higher-security institution.