eruption

noun

erup·​tion i-ˈrəp-shən 

1

a

: an act, process, or instance of erupting

b

: the breaking out of a rash on the skin or mucous membrane

2

: a product of erupting (such as a skin rash)

Synonyms

• explosion
• outburst
• burst

Examples of eruption in a Sentence

a great eruption of glee as it suddenly dawned on her that she had won

the eruption of the volcano Krakatoa was one of the most violent in global history

Recent Examples on the Web

The children died in June 2023 in what prosecutors described as an eruption of violence motivated by fear of losing them to their father, Nathan John, according to the BBC, who survived the attack. —Christina Coulter, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025

The same earthquake is believed to have triggered the eruption of Klyuchevskoy, Kamchatka's most active volcano, which began on Wednesday. —Isabel Van Brugen, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025

Images of the volcanic eruption, which occurred on the Kronotsky Reserve, were released by Russian state media and showed dense clouds of ash rising above the volcano. —Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2025

Here’s what to know: Tsunamis are waves triggered by earthquakes, underwater volcanic eruptions and submarine landslides. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 30 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing eruption

• creeping eruption
• post-eruption

Rhymes for eruption

• corruption
• disruption
• irruption
• incorruption
• interruption

Kids Definition

eruption

noun

erup·​tion i-ˈrəp-shən 

1

: an act, process, or instance of erupting

2

: a product (as a skin rash) of erupting

Medical Definition

eruption

noun

erup·​tion i-ˈrəp-shən 

1

: an act, process, or instance of erupting

the eruption of the tooth from the gum

specifically : the breaking out of an exanthem or enanthem on the skin or mucous membrane (as in measles)

2

: something produced by an act or process of erupting: as

a

: the condition of the skin or mucous membrane caused by erupting

b

: one of the lesions (as a pustule) constituting this condition