burst 1 of 2

Definition of burstnext
1
as in to explode
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure the turnover's crust burst when the filling expanded

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2
as in to shatter
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive finally burst the piñata open with one mighty swing of the bat

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3
as in to bulge
to be copiously supplied a young singer/dancer who seems to be bursting with energy and talent

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burst

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of burst
Verb
Legislative fiscal analysts have cautioned that the AI industry appears to be riding a stock market bubble that could burst. Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2026 Reed burst onto the movie-criticism scene in the 1960s, and was part of a wave of new reviewers, Pauline Kael among them, who offered a sharper, jazzier alternative to the more staid forms of analysis that had been showcased by major outlets. Brent Lang, Variety, 12 May 2026
Noun
According to the American Heart Association, strokes occur when blood flow to the brain becomes blocked, or when a blood vessel bursts. Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026 After Dahlin opened the scoring 32 seconds in, Montreal chased Lyon with the three-goal burst. ABC News, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for burst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burst
Verb
  • As captain, Poulin got the 35-pound Walter Cup first, lifting it over her head as confetti exploded around her.
    Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 21 May 2026
  • The persistent growth reflects the exploding capital expenditures from hyperscalers, which are snapping up GPUs for their data center computing infrastructure that underpins their AI initiatives.
    Katie Tarasov,Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • By early afternoon, however, the calm had been shattered by almost two dozen Israeli air strikes.
    Rania Abouzeid, New Yorker, 21 May 2026
  • Her instinct has been shattered by her breakup.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • Her stomach bulged beneath her I ❤ FLORIDA boatneck and her face was round and waxy-pale.
    Stephen King, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
  • But if the gland expands or droops, which is common with age, a portion of it can escape those confines, bulging out below the jawbone and appearing as a lump in the neck.
    Jolene Edgar, Allure, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • The flurry of headlines about what was left out of the film—most obviously, the 1993 lawsuit that accused Jackson of molesting a 13-year-old, and subsequent lawsuits alleging similar abuse—also haven’t mattered.
    Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
  • Kieffer acknowledged, however, that the board’s attorneys were looking into the flurry of legal questions regarding the referendum and the map.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Rubin, with the exquisite detail of its images, is well placed to find these types of events, in which stars disappear in explosions that can be too faint for other surveys to see.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 15 May 2026
  • In New York City, the explosion of rideshare pickups and last-mile delivery overwhelmed curbside infrastructure built for a different era.
    Chase Garbarino, Fortune, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • As previously reported, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius released thermal energy roughly equivalent to 100,000 times the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II, spewing molten rock, pumice, and hot ash over the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in particular.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 18 May 2026
  • Its origin—Crater Lake formed following a volcanic eruption 7,700 years ago—only adds to the allure.
    Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • Pennsylvania State Police in Bethlehem responded to Salem United Church of Christ, which was a polling place in the primary election, in Catasauqua Tuesday morning, for the report of an explosive device that detonated in the area of the 600 block of 3rd Street.
    Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 20 May 2026
  • The Defense Ministry said in a terse statement that soldiers discovered a bomb that was ready to be detonated in the central Bab Sharqi district of Damascus.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • Authorities said the suspect then smashed into the store's jewelry counter, stealing nearly $10,000 worth of merchandise before walking out and fleeing the scene on a motorcycle.
    Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
  • Suarez was caught on surveillance camera smashing into the Volkswagen Jetta on Amsterdam Ave.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 16 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Burst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burst. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

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