outbreak

noun out·break \ ˈau̇t-ˌbrāk \

|Updated on: 23 Jun 2018

Examples: outbreak in a Sentence

Definition of outbreak

1 a : a sudden or violent increase in activity or currency

the outbreak of war

b : a sudden rise in the incidence of a disease

an outbreak of measles

c : a sudden increase in numbers of a harmful organism and especially an insect within a particular area

an outbreak of locusts

2 : insurrection, revolt

See outbreak defined for English-language learners

See outbreak defined for kids

Examples of outbreak in a Sentence

there was an immediate outbreak of paper shuffling and a pretense of work when the supervisor passed through the room
the government quelled the outbreak with ruthless efficiency

Recent Examples of outbreak from the Web

The act also provides funding to support partnerships and programs that further strengthen this infrastructure and help communities across the country prepare for and rebound from disasters and disease outbreaks.

— nicolette louissaint, STAT, "Congress needs to back legislation supporting disaster preparedness," 15 June 2018
Ahead of this year’s Kentucky Derby, health officials in the Bluegrass State urged the public to get immunized amid a Hepatitis A outbreak.

— brittany shoot, Fortune, "These Are the Riskiest Cities and Counties For Infectious Disease Epidemics," 14 June 2018
Other factors included the severity and frequency of hazards such as dangerous earthquakes or disease outbreaks.

— wesley wildman, Smithsonian, "How Computer Scientists Model the Role of Religion in Society," 11 June 2018
Other bills aimed at the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs would create a new protocol for reporting disease outbreaks and require biannual health reports to be sent to state lawmakers.

— bill lukitsch, chicagotribune.com, "More than 600 bills will land on Rauner’s desk as he seeks re-election," 10 June 2018
If an infectious disease outbreak were to occur, for example, the health director has the authority to direct resources and sign off on the distribution of medication during a public health emergency.

— kevin litten, NOLA.com, "New Orleans starts hurricane season without a health director: why that matters," 1 June 2018
The Legionnaires' disease outbreak of 2014-15 took hold at the height of the Flint water crisis, when the City of Flint switched its public water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River.

— kristen jordan shamus, Detroit Free Press, "State: McLaren Flint was primary source of Legionnaires' outbreak," 30 May 2018
Which states are experiencing hepatitis A outbreaks?

— jamie ducharme, Time, "Tennessee Is Just the Latest State to Report a Hepatitis A Outbreak. Here's What to Know," 30 May 2018
The hepatitis A outbreak among homeless people gave the effort a push, although Los Angeles' 12 cases were dwarfed by San Diego's rash, which included 20 deaths and 402 hospitalizations.

— gale holland, latimes.com, "It took more than a decade to open public bathrooms on skid row. After three months, they're already gone," 29 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'outbreak.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.