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 of eruption

• 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

Why Astronomers Are Watching So Closely T Coronae Borealis is a recurrent nova — a rare stellar event in which a white dwarf undergoes a powerful thermonuclear eruption on its surface. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

The final whistle garnered a huge eruption heard inside the stadium. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 25 June 2026

For centuries, ancient scrolls torched nearly 2,000 years ago in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius have remained a mystery. — Miriam Waldvogel, Washington Post, 25 June 2026

Kevin Pina’s rocket set off an eruption of joy, only for Cape Verde to trail at half-time mostly because of Maximiliano Araujo, the only Uruguay attacker showing any semblance of form. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 24 June 2026

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