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
  • Spain’s major talent is exploding on the international stage, both in film and TV.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 13 May 2026
  • Courtesy Cambridge Health Alliance Few studies have rigorously examined how OpenEvidence affects patient outcomes, largely due to how recently the tool has exploded in popularity.
    Jared Perlo, NBC news, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • Around the same time as the engagement photo shoots, the brides-to-be start mending their porcelain plates, which were ceremoniously shattered so the brides-to-be could mend them.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 13 May 2026
  • When her husband Karl finds her after years of searching, that hope is shattered, forcing her to return to Vienna – into a society that once sought to erase her.
    Leo Barraclough, Variety, 13 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
  • The remaining 17 climbers managed to return to their base camp after the eruption and reported their friends missing to the authorities, per CNA.
    Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
  • Both agencies agree there is a chance for additional M flares and maybe even X-class eruptions over the coming days as sunspot regions AR4436 and AR4432 continue to evolve.
    Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 11 May 2026
Verb
  • The explosives didn’t detonate and were safely removed by law enforcement after the attack.
    ABC News, ABC News, 12 May 2026
  • The Trinity test, conducted as part of the Manhattan Project in the New Mexico desert, detonated a plutonium bomb that released the energy of 25 kilotons of TNT.
    Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 11 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 19 May. 2026.

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