outburst

noun

out·​burst ˈau̇t-ˌbərst How to pronounce outburst (audio)
1
: a violent expression of feeling
an outburst of anger
2
: a surge of activity or growth
new outbursts of creative powerC. E. Montague
3
: eruption
volcanic outbursts

Examples of outburst in a Sentence

the judge directed the courtroom spectators to refrain from any outbursts when the verdict was read there was a remarkable outburst of work in the office as the visiting VIPs made their tour
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The incident occurred after Brickhouse accused her co-workers of stealing her phone, leading to a violent outburst, court filings say. Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 21 July 2025 Also, any strong and sudden outbursts in meteor activity — which are hard to predict, but possible — may last only a few hours. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025 But while Scheffler was getting ready for his turn, LIV Golf's Sergio Garcia sparked backlash with a bizarre outburst at Royal Portrush. Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 July 2025 The Big Beautiful Bill is supposed to revitalize our economy, but the president who asked for it is destroying that economy with his erratic, uninformed and ill-judged dictatorial outbursts. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for outburst

Word History

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outburst was in 1657

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outburst.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outburst. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

outburst

noun
out·​burst -ˌbərst How to pronounce outburst (audio)
1
: a sudden violent expression of strong feeling
an outburst of anger
2
: a sudden increase in activity or growth

More from Merriam-Webster on outburst

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!