noun

jailbreak

JAYL-brayk

Jailbreak (noun) means an escape from prison. Example: “News crews swarmed the prison after the jailbreak.”

noun

An escape from prison.

"News crews swarmed the prison after the jailbreak."

A hack that removes a phone or tablet manufacturer's software restrictions so unofficial apps can be installed.

"He jailbroke his old iPhone to install apps Apple never approved."

A prompt designed to trick an AI chatbot into ignoring its safety rules.

"Researchers study jailbreaks to make AI models harder to manipulate."

verb

To escape from prison, or to remove software restrictions from a device.

"They tried to jailbreak out through a tunnel dug under the yard."

How to use jailbreak

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishBreaking free of confinement or restrictions — whether a real prison, a locked-down phone, or an AI's safety rules.

Common pairings

jailbreak an iPhone attempt a jailbreak AI jailbreak prompt

Word forms

jailbroke past tense, jailbroken past tense, jailbreaks plural, jailbreaks singular

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News crews swarmed the prison after the _____.

Etymology

A straightforward compound of "jail" and "break," originally meaning a literal prison escape before being extended to devices and, more recently, AI systems.

Synonyms

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break breakout gaolbreak prisonbreak prison-breaking

Related words

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Rhymes for jailbreak

weak beak leak peak teak break speak wreak bleak creak freak sneak

See all rhymes for jailbreak →

Frequently asked questions

What does “jailbreak” mean?

The word “jailbreak” means an escape from prison. In plain terms, breaking free of confinement or restrictions — whether a real prison, a locked-down phone, or an AI's safety rules.

How do you pronounce “jailbreak”?

“Jailbreak” is pronounced JAYL-brayk (/ˈd͡ʒeɪlˌbɹeɪk/ in IPA).

How do you use “jailbreak” in a sentence?

Here is “jailbreak” used in a sentence: “News crews swarmed the prison after the jailbreak.”

What part of speech is “jailbreak”?

Depending on how it is used, “jailbreak” can be a noun and a verb.

How many meanings does “jailbreak” have?

“Jailbreak” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an escape from prison.

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