burst 1 of 2

verb

ˈbərst How to pronounce burst (audio)
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

1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity a sudden burst of industriousness whenever the boss appeared

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2
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling a burst of anger that startled the other members on the panel

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3
as in eruption
the act or an instance of exploding one burst after another could be heard in the distance

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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
Investors voiced growing worry the AI bubble will burst, as concerns mounted over eye-popping capex plans, debt issuance, and expansion. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2026 Rain has finally ended in the Southwest after the storm dropped multiple months’ worth of it, causing waterways to burst their banks and forcing evacuations in at least a dozen counties across parts of Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. — Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026
Noun
Watching for gamma-ray bursts Gamma-ray bursts are the most explosive and energetic events in the universe. — Mary Ogborn, The Conversation, 4 Nov. 2026 Nolan Traore made a 3-pointer before another 9-0 burst by the Knicks to blow it open at 100-84 on a basket by Andre Drummond. — Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for burst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burst
  1. explode
  2. shatter
  3. bulge
  4. flurry
  5. explosion
  6. eruption
  7. detonate
  8. smash
Verb
  • Dramatic dashcam footage shows the plane speeding straight down toward the street before exploding on impact, scattering debris all over the road and a nearby mobile home community.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The jet can be seen rapidly descending from the sky before crashing nose-first into the ground and immediately exploding into a massive fireball.
    — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of explode
Verb
  • The roadway was left shattered and burning wreckage dotted the crater, video from CNN affiliate WPBF showed.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia closed on Saturday after more than three decades of successive missions that helped rebuild a country shattered by civil war.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of shatter
Verb
  • But on my face is my stupid sleep mask, with the bumps bulging out over the eyes.
    — Jenny Hughes, The Spruce, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Earlier in the week, the team said the 23-year-old NFL player had been dealing with a bulging disc in his back.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of bulge
Noun
  • Beijing has hosted a flurry of global leaders this year, while major economies have struggled to slow a surge of imports from China.
    — Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Instead, the late-breaking 9th Circuit decisions spurred a flurry of confusion and conjecture just hours before polls were set to open in the country’s most populous state.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of flurry
Noun
  • Iranian state media reported explosions being heard on the islands of Qeshm and Hengam in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, and in the nearby mainland area of Bandar Abbas.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026
  • In August, 38 people were killed when a Russian drone strike on an ammunition depot near the capital triggered a large fire and multiple explosions that lasted hours in a residential area near Kyiv.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • However, eruptions and lava flows have been conspicuous by their absence.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Together, these tools offered astronomers extraordinary insights into GRBs—extremely luminous eruptions that occur in distant galaxies when massive stars explode or collide, sometimes leaving behind neutron stars or black holes.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of eruption
Verb
  • The bomb detonated close to Reggane was four times more powerful than that used on Hiroshima.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026
  • An operation in Kenscoff In the mists of the steep hills that ring southern Port-au-Prince, CNN saw one Task Force operation where helicopters manned by foreign contractors assaulted gang positions, and drones detonated amid the clatter of gunfire.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of detonate
Verb
  • Protests last week devolved into mayhem, with people setting fires, storming public buildings, smashing shop windows, looting and clashing with police.
    — ELITSA GADEVA, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Rioters last weekend smashed their way into stores, targeting sneakers, athletic wear and sporting goods on streets that run off the city’s central Duomo square.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of smash

Phrases Containing burst

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burrs
burst
burst (forth)
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Cite this Entry

“Burst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burst. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on burst

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about burst

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