burst also bursted; bursting
1
: to break open, apart, or into pieces usually from impact or from pressure from within
the balloon burst
the pipes burst
2
a
: to give way from an excess of emotion
my heart will burst
b
: to give vent suddenly to a repressed emotion
burst into tears
burst out laughing
3
4
: to be filled to the breaking point
bursting with excitement
a crate bursting with fruit
1
: to cause to burst
burst a balloon
2
a
: to force open (something, such as a door or a way) by strong or vigorous action
b
: to flood over
the river burst its banks
3
: to produce by or as if by bursting
1
2
: an act of bursting
the burst of a bubble
a burst of confidence
3
: a result of bursting
had the plumber fix the burst
especially, firearms
: a visible puff accompanying the explosion of a shell (see shell entry 1 sense 9b)
Examples of burst in a Sentence
Verb
Two of the water pipes burst.
He burst a blood vessel.
The doors suddenly burst open.
The cops burst the door open.
He burst into the room.
The sun burst through the clouds.
She burst through the door and yelled “Surprise!”.
Noun
She ran hard in short bursts toward the end of the race.
the burst of a bubble
Recent Examples on the Web
Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 10 Sep. 2025
Patrick Kelly burst onto the Paris fashion scene in the 1980s, becoming the first American and the first Black designer inducted into the prestigious Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter.
—Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 10 Sep. 2025
PC Magazine, 9 Sep. 2025
The mechanism operates much like a slingshot, storing energy before releasing it in a rapid burst to propel the tongue toward prey.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burst
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Verb
Netflix’s Love Is Blind became a total phenomenon that rivaled The Bachelor at its prime, and Peacock’s Love Island burst onto the mainstream this summer to become a sensation that completely took over the internet, if not the world.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 10 Sep. 2025
Patrick Kelly burst onto the Paris fashion scene in the 1980s, becoming the first American and the first Black designer inducted into the prestigious Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter.
—Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
Sony a7 and a6000 series bodies don't support 15fps burst rates, so the restriction isn't relevant for them.
—PC Magazine, 9 Sep. 2025
The mechanism operates much like a slingshot, storing energy before releasing it in a rapid burst to propel the tongue toward prey.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burst
Cite this Entry
“Burst.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burst. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
burst
1 of 2 verb
burst; bursting
1
a
: to break open or in pieces (as by an explosion from within)
the balloon burst
buds bursting open
b
: to cause to burst
2
a
: to suddenly show one's feelings
burst into tears
b
: to begin to do something suddenly
burst into song
3
: to come or go suddenly
burst into the room
4
: to be filled to the breaking point
just bursting with energy
burst
2 of 2 noun1
: a sudden release or effort
a burst of speed
2
: a firing of many shots at the same time
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