1
as in explodes
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 shatters
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 flurries
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 explosions
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a burst of anger that startled the other members on the panel
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in eruptions
the act or an instance of exploding
one burst after another could be heard in the distance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 bursts
Benjamin Vanhoose,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
Haaland bursts our bubble almost immediately by scoring in the opening five minutes, and Burnley miss a few good first-half chances, with striker Zian Flemming particularly culpable.
—
Nnamdi Onyeagwara,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
The 60-year immigration bubble finally bursts.
—
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Once a cushioned conduit to the other side, the casket now bursts with the wisdom of a life lived outside the box.
—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
Later, as the film plays, the crowd bursts intermittently into laughter, cracking up at the clown-car quality of everyone piling into the van for the first time.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Oct. 2025
Sedona Sedona is another popular fall break destination for many reasons, least of all being Oak Creek Canyon, which bursts with color during the autumn months.
—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
19 Sep. 2025
The movie is a tour de force In IMAX, the format’s large screen and huge sound a perfect partner for the purple one’s charisma, which positively bursts off the screen.
—
Benny Har-Even,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Third Thursdays bring the festive Art Walk, when the district bursts with local art, live music, and technicolor vibes.
—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Aug. 2025
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
25 June 2026
The presence of this ultraviolet light, and the star-forming history of the cluster producing it, suggests that bursts of star formation contributed to waves of ionizing radiation that gradually cleared out the opaque neutral hydrogen.
—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
24 June 2026
This type of creatine is used to make energy quickly during short activity bursts.
—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
24 June 2026
Much of it is held as phosphocreatine and used to make energy quickly during short bursts of activity.
—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
24 June 2026
Earlier this month, another Tennessee highway became the stage for an accidental spectacle when a brake fire on a trailer hauling fireworks ignited its cargo, causing bursts of colorful explosions on Interstate 75 near Chattanooga.
—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
When the cryptocurrency bubble bursts, all that’s going to be left are shitty monkey JPEGs and worse Austrian economics.
—
ArsTechnica,
23 June 2026
The brief clip showed off a new cast of characters, beginning with fuzzy television static before exploding into a montage propelled by intense music and kinetic bursts of action, carrying on the spirit of the first season through energetic animation and heavily stylised art.
—
Kambole Campbell,
Variety,
23 June 2026
Fish swim by alternate contractions of aerobic muscles that run the length of their bodies in a small red band just under their skin, while their large white anaerobic muscles are used only for brief bursts.
—
Literary Hub,
22 June 2026
Verb
Just as the pair were celebrating finally taking Evan off-island for father-son bonding time on the mainland, a knock on the door bursts their bubble.
—
Benjamin Vanhoose,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
Haaland bursts our bubble almost immediately by scoring in the opening five minutes, and Burnley miss a few good first-half chances, with striker Zian Flemming particularly culpable.
—
Nnamdi Onyeagwara,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
The 60-year immigration bubble finally bursts.
—
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Once a cushioned conduit to the other side, the casket now bursts with the wisdom of a life lived outside the box.
—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
Later, as the film plays, the crowd bursts intermittently into laughter, cracking up at the clown-car quality of everyone piling into the van for the first time.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Oct. 2025
Sedona Sedona is another popular fall break destination for many reasons, least of all being Oak Creek Canyon, which bursts with color during the autumn months.
—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
19 Sep. 2025
The movie is a tour de force In IMAX, the format’s large screen and huge sound a perfect partner for the purple one’s charisma, which positively bursts off the screen.
—
Benny Har-Even,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Third Thursdays bring the festive Art Walk, when the district bursts with local art, live music, and technicolor vibes.
—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
Focaccia bursts with the flavors of a Chicago hot dog.
—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
25 June 2026
The presence of this ultraviolet light, and the star-forming history of the cluster producing it, suggests that bursts of star formation contributed to waves of ionizing radiation that gradually cleared out the opaque neutral hydrogen.
—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
24 June 2026
This type of creatine is used to make energy quickly during short activity bursts.
—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
24 June 2026
Much of it is held as phosphocreatine and used to make energy quickly during short bursts of activity.
—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
24 June 2026
Earlier this month, another Tennessee highway became the stage for an accidental spectacle when a brake fire on a trailer hauling fireworks ignited its cargo, causing bursts of colorful explosions on Interstate 75 near Chattanooga.
—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
When the cryptocurrency bubble bursts, all that’s going to be left are shitty monkey JPEGs and worse Austrian economics.
—
ArsTechnica,
23 June 2026
The brief clip showed off a new cast of characters, beginning with fuzzy television static before exploding into a montage propelled by intense music and kinetic bursts of action, carrying on the spirit of the first season through energetic animation and heavily stylised art.
—
Kambole Campbell,
Variety,
23 June 2026
Fish swim by alternate contractions of aerobic muscles that run the length of their bodies in a small red band just under their skin, while their large white anaerobic muscles are used only for brief bursts.
—
Literary Hub,
22 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bursts
Verb
-
But traipse past the principal’s office, scale a short incline, and you’ll be rewarded with an 80-foot-long mural that explodes with color.
-
As the clogged pipe grows louder, the camera begins uncomfortably zooming in on Rudd’s face until the pipe explodes in Ted's, closing out the episode.
Verb
-
When a window shatters, your entire home is at risk of collapse or even being blown away.
-
When a shocking night shatters their fragile facade, both women are forced to confront the cost of control and decide what kind of future is worth fighting for.
Verb
-
Every once in a while, a player buzzes in with an answer that truly catches fans off-guard.
-
So when something goes on in markets that inspires exuberance or fear, my phone buzzes.
Noun
-
Even then, there are flurries of intense activity.
-
The players rotated quickly, setting flurries of picks and cutting, creating space by driving to the basket, stretching the defense to the point of breaking, and then flinging the ball to the open man in the corner.
Noun
-
The satellite's primary objective, though, is to observe gamma-ray bursts – events triggered by the catastrophic deaths of massive stars and considered to be the most powerful types of explosions in the universe.
-
The observatory has spent over two decades as a sort of orbital sentinel that scans the cosmos for gamma-ray bursts, ready to quickly point itself at the short-lived — but insanely powerful — space explosions at a moment's notice.
Noun
-
The hotel staff can help direct you to info about eruptions, closures, and options for outdoor experiences.
-
During The Great Dying, massive volcanic eruptions triggered catastrophic climate changes that altered the planet’s entire biosphere.
Verb
-
After the pass comes to Bridges, who detonates passersby at the basket regularly, White goes straight up, though with a little more oomph than usual.
-
Advertisement Christine Adams Courtesy of Apple TV Lang gets off the train and, once at a safe distance, detonates the explosive.
Verb
-
Moving fusion energy closer to reality Fusion smashes light atomic nuclei together to release energy, mirroring the process that powers the sun.
-
Here in Fort America, the walls creak, then something smashes onto the roof.
Cite this Entry
“Bursts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bursts. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
