burst 1 of 2

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
An affectionate little cat with a heart bursting with love for humans is looking for a home at a Texas shelter. Tj MacIas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2025 By the end of the year, the cold fusion bubble had burst, the technology was discredited, and the concept relegated to bad spy fiction and conspiracy theories. New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy from the Sun's magnetic field and a regular feature of solar activity. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025 The micro-drama format, characterized by episodes typically running under 10 minutes, has gained significant traction as mobile viewing habits shift toward bite-sized, addictive content that can be consumed in short bursts throughout the day. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for burst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burst
Verb
  • Conclave feels like a very architectural, sparse, mathematical film, [whereas] Ballad felt to me like a chaotic pop opera that explodes at the seams.
    Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Just a couple of years later, his profile exploded.
    Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • His staff acknowledged congratulatory comments on social media and posted photos of an encounter with someone whose car window was shattered after refusing to open it.
    Elliot Spagat, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Jorma Taccone, one part of the comedy trio The Lonely Island, was hospitalized after shattering his pelvis upon falling 20 feet off a ladder at his home.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • To be a real man, according to this content, young adolescent boys are expected to be tall and broad-shouldered with bulging biceps, pronounced trapezius muscles, and washboard abs.
    Ashleigh N. DeLuca, Parents, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The man displayed his find—a bulging-eyed doll with prominent teeth, enormous ears and a fuzzy body.
    Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The glass-half-full crowd would view such a flurry of transactions as evidence that five teams wanted Ureña enough to sign him.
    Mike Digiovanna, Oc Register, 7 Sep. 2025
  • In part of a flurry of motions from both sides in the past week, Stines is asking for a judge to release him on bail.
    Andy Rose, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The more massive stars can produce heavier elements such as carbon, oxygen and nitrogen, all the way up to iron, in a sequence of fusion reactions that end in a supernova explosion.
    Luke Keller, Space.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • But two years ago, as the latest wave of artificial intelligence began reshaping education, Leskovec told Fortune he was rocked by the explosion of his field into the mainstream.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Around the time of this flip, solar activity gradually ramps up, causing more solar eruptions like solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The tour also visits Heimaey, Vestmannaeyjar’s only inhabited island, and the lava fields created by the 1973 volcanic eruption.
    Mia Taylor, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • One Russian missile landed in a forest but didn't detonate.
    Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Israel’s concentration on destroying Gaza City’s infrastructure has utilized a variety of means, including heavy bombs and, recently, old armored vehicles laden with a large amount of explosives and detonated via remote control.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Shoplifting became a political lighting rod, and videos of thieves smashing store windows and grabbing merchandise rocketed across the news and social media as a symbol of a breakdown across cities.
    Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The forward smashed a strike across the goalkeeper and into the top corner, before wheeling away in emotional celebration.
    Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Burst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burst. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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