outbreak

noun

out·​break ˈau̇t-ˌbrāk 

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

Synonyms

• burst
• flare
• flare-up
• flash
• flicker
• flurry
• flutter
• outburst
• spurt

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 on the Web

Thus far, the overall case fatality rate of the current clade Ib outbreak appears to be around 5%, but some regions have reported rates in excess of 10%. —Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 8 Sep. 2024

Bird flu is most commonly found in wild birds and poultry, but has more recently been detected in mammals, with an outbreak in cattle seen across the country this year. —Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2024

Health workers are wrapping up the second phase of a polio vaccination campaign designed to prevent a large-scale outbreak in the territory. —Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2024

There are no cases of bird flu among cattle in Missouri, but there have been outbreaks of the virus among poultry in the state. —Carma Hassan, CNN, 7 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

outbreak

noun

out·​break ˈau̇t-ˌbrāk 

1

: a sudden increase in activity, use, or acceptance

the outbreak of war

2

: something (as an epidemic or revolution) that breaks out

an outbreak of measles

Medical Definition

outbreak

noun

out·​break ˈau̇t-ˌbrāk 

1

: a sudden rise in the incidence of a disease

an outbreak of measles

2

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

an outbreak of locusts