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
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
The World Health Organization has repeatedly said the risk to the general public is currently considered low and is not calling the outbreak an epidemic.
—
Eve Chen, USA Today, 8 May 2026
The current cruise ship outbreak reportedly originated with a couple who contracted the virus while traveling in Argentina.
—Melissa Rudy , Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
And for people with an outbreak on their face, there is also a risk of long-term issues such as blindness, facial weakness, and hearing loss.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 7 May 2026
But experts know little about the mechanisms of human-to-human transmission, in part because of how rare such outbreaks are.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
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Eve Chen, USA Today, 8 May 2026
The current cruise ship outbreak reportedly originated with a couple who contracted the virus while traveling in Argentina.
—Melissa Rudy , Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
And for people with an outbreak on their face, there is also a risk of long-term issues such as blindness, facial weakness, and hearing loss.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 7 May 2026
But experts know little about the mechanisms of human-to-human transmission, in part because of how rare such outbreaks are.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Cite this Entry
“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outbreak. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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