1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
there was an immediate outbreak of paper shuffling and a pretense of work when the supervisor passed through the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in revolt
open fighting against authority (as one's own government)
the government quelled the outbreak with ruthless efficiency
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of outbreak
Amidst the outbreak of the 1910 Manchurian Plague, a young Chinese doctor must defy prejudices of both the East and the West to champion his groundbreaking theory of the disease and seek the truth that will heal it.
—
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
Now, a year later, the basics of the outbreak in Rwanda are known.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 6 Oct. 2025
The tornado struck rural Enderlin, North Dakota, as part of a tornado outbreak on June 20, 2025.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Even so, tensions continued to escalate, leading to the outbreak of World War II less than a year later.
—Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
Now, a year later, the basics of the outbreak in Rwanda are known.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 6 Oct. 2025
The tornado struck rural Enderlin, North Dakota, as part of a tornado outbreak on June 20, 2025.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Even so, tensions continued to escalate, leading to the outbreak of World War II less than a year later.
—Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreak
Noun
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After the Dolphins’ early flurry — 14 of their points came off Young turnovers — the Panthers kept Miami (1-4) off the scoreboard for five consecutive series.—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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The American serial killer, whose crimes would go on to inspire a flurry of horror films (including Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), was also known as the Butcher of Plainfield.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
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What began as a protest against a government social media ban quickly morphed into a broader revolt against corruption and economic stagnation.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
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The popularity of these names, especially in Galilee, a hotbed of revolt and messianic expectations, stemmed from their revolutionary connotations.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Switching gears to summer, easy pieces from swimwear to shirtdresses came in an array of color bursts, and played with prints.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
10 Oct. 2025
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Super Heavy alone is powered by 33 of SpaceX’s Raptor engines that give the initial burst of thrust at liftoff.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The National Guard can be deployed to assist Americans during natural disasters and in times of insurrection or open revolt.—
Brian Bennett,
Time,
6 Oct. 2025
-
There is no insurrection in Portland.—
Lauren Mascarenhas,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
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When Earth crosses paths with this point of a comet’s orbit, a meteor storm occurs, producing an outburst of meteors streaking across the sky.—
Gina Park,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
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Every few decades or so, the Draconids create a massive outburst with hundreds of meteors an hour visible from some locations on Earth.—
Lydia Price,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Barghouti has spent more than 20 years in prison and is serving five life sentences after his 2004 conviction for the murder of four Israelis and a Greek Orthodox monk during the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising.—
Yamiche Alcindor,
NBC news,
10 Oct. 2025
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Krasznahorkai was born in Hungary in 1954, two years before the Soviets viciously crushed an uprising in Budapest, and his first two novels are soaked through with an atmosphere of political terror.—
Walt Hunter,
The Atlantic,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Playoffs have been under the shadow of league star Napheesa Collier speaking with pointed criticism of commissioner Cathy Engelbert in what amounts to a mutiny against the commish, with other players backing Collier.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Oct. 2025
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But to the enslaved Africans transported on these ships, that mermaid was a symbol of righteous rebellion and holy mutinies.—
Time,
Time,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But things change the next morning when all of the clans light burning crosses in a call to action to join the Jacobite rebellion — a call that Brian must answer or face being labeled a traitor.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Oct. 2025
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His effort to suppress the rebellion and restore federal authority marked the beginning of the Civil War.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreak. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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