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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in flurry
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
a sudden burst of industriousness whenever the boss appeared
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a burst of anger that startled the other members on the panel
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of burst
José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 4 Mar. 2026
Marty Supreme, on which Ronald was a writer and producer as well as the editor, burst onto the awards-season scene in the fall with an arms-outstretched audacity that would make its would-be ping-pong-champ protagonist proud.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
For the chocolate sauce, place everything in a small bowl and heat in a microwave, using short 15-second bursts, until the cream is hot.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for burst
Verb
The look—a skintight black bustier dress with a trompe l’oeil crocodile tail on the front and a bursting cloud of white tulle at the back—first appeared in January on Roseberry’s couture runway for the label.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 4 Mar. 2026
Marty Supreme, on which Ronald was a writer and producer as well as the editor, burst onto the awards-season scene in the fall with an arms-outstretched audacity that would make its would-be ping-pong-champ protagonist proud.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
Noun
Eventually, their burst of energy in the second half led to Thompson’s winning goal in the final eight minutes of the match, reminiscent of a vintage Christen Press-style goal.
—Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
For the chocolate sauce, place everything in a small bowl and heat in a microwave, using short 15-second bursts, until the cream is hot.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for burst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burst
Verb
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Sudan slid into chaos in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the militant group exploded into open fighting in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Nineteenth-century naval mines exploded on contact.—
Jon R. Lindsay,
The Conversation,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The storms shattered windows, tore off roofs and smashed vehicles in Kankakee.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
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Within 10 minutes, her windows shattered, the front door blew open and drywall started falling on top of her.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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To stabilize bulging sides, drive rebar rods into the soil along the exterior of the beds.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Mar. 2026
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Fibroids that bulge into the uterine cavity—called submucosal fibroids—are often associated with the most significant bleeding changes, regardless of size.—
Beth Krietsch,
SELF,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Last year saw a flurry of legislation in Congress that would do anything from permanently implementing the time (the Sunshine Protection Act) to multiple bills that would allow states to choose for themselves (Hawaii and Arizona have already opted for year-round standard time).—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
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Investing for the long run A flurry of deals at the end of 2025 saw Alphabet, Oracle, and Meta sell more than $70 billion in bonds over the course of weeks.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Others reported explosions around the Iranian city of Kermanshah in an area that is home to multiple missile bases.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
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Amid the explosions, internet blackouts, and continued uncertainty, some Iranians are seeking a way out.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Watched behind his closed eyelids the eruption of strange visual forms, shapes of light blooming and disintegrating, blue green and yellow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
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Her message endured the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius, centuries of burial beneath volcanic ash, and the slow fade of time itself.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In Lebanon and parts of Syria, Israel detonated thousands of pagers of Hezbollah officials and bombed the group’s headquarters in southern Beirut, killing its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
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None of the devices were detonated, and nobody was injured.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Wearing hooded sweatshirts and full-face masks, the robbers ordered employees to one part of the room at gunpoint before two of them smashed the glass display cases with sledgehammers, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.—
Nick Sullivan
March 7,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Mar. 2026
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Rocco-Herrmann/Getty Images After the price of silver smashed through a record $100 per ounce milestone in late January, many investors would be forgiven for expecting the metal to continue its remarkable surge upward largely unimpeded.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Burst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burst. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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