1
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
the judge directed the courtroom spectators to refrain from any outbursts when the verdict was read
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
there was a remarkable outburst of work in the office as the visiting VIPs made their tour
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in eruption
the act or an instance of exploding
in the outburst known as a supernova, the star may reach an intrinsic luminosity one billion times that of the sun
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of outburst
In addition to his 35-point outburst, the former UCLA star is now the first player in NBA history to ever post a single-game stat line of 35 points, eight rebounds, four blocks, two steals and six 3-point makes.
—
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026
Police were called to the home twice to respond to reports of angry outbursts from Bushey, once after the knives were removed and once after the locks were changed, which reportedly led Bushey to break off a doorknob to enter the house.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
Even if he is not furnished with another player — which seems unlikely in any case — that should not prompt another angry outburst.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2026
Across the galaxy and even the cosmos itself, immense outbursts of energy occur that could easily vaporize our planet.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for outburst
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026
Police were called to the home twice to respond to reports of angry outbursts from Bushey, once after the knives were removed and once after the locks were changed, which reportedly led Bushey to break off a doorknob to enter the house.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
Even if he is not furnished with another player — which seems unlikely in any case — that should not prompt another angry outburst.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2026
Across the galaxy and even the cosmos itself, immense outbursts of energy occur that could easily vaporize our planet.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for outburst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outburst
Noun
-
Video footage that appeared to be taken at the scene captured loud blasts and the sky glowing following explosions that began around midnight and lasted about two hours in the area of Diori Hamani International Airport.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
An explosion was reported at a metal fabricating plant on Thursday night in Pennsylvania, according to officials.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Beijing has responded with a flurry of economic pressure, including cutting flights and warning citizens against traveling to Japan.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Newport Harbor ended the first period with another flurry.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Perhaps a cataclysm—an earthquake, a volcanic eruption—had driven those people away.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The eight main islands were formed by eruptions, landslides and erosion over thousands of years.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The only constant is Mount Etna, looming off to one side, at times sputtering out smoke, ash, and short bursts of lava.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
-
And yet, two-thirds into the song’s six-minute lurch, a beaming synth line appears like a biblical burst of light, a plea for sanctuary from perpetual chaos.—
Stuart Berman,
Pitchfork,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
To the museum board, this seemed like a poor allocation of resources; certainly the guards or docents could instruct people on flash usage.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
There were a lot of flash bulbs and a lot of darkness.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outburst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outburst. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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