1
as in flurries
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
there was an immediate outbreak of paper shuffling and a pretense of work when the supervisor passed through the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in insurrections
open fighting against authority (as one's own government)
the government quelled the outbreak with ruthless efficiency
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 outbreaks
Even when a state’s overall vaccination rate looks healthy, there might be specific towns or school districts where rates are dangerously low – leaving those areas vulnerable to disease outbreaks.
—
Anthony Bald, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2025
In 2016 the entire region of the Americas declared the disease eliminated, but outbreaks in Venezuela in 2017 and in Brazil in 2018 reversed that declaration.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2025
Past outbreaks that have previously been linked to consumer goods, have sometimes resulted in hospitalizations and even deaths.
—Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The country is already in the midst of its worst measles year in three decades, with more than 1,500 cases and current outbreaks in South Carolina and Minnesota.
—Arthur Allen, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
Are other states seeing outbreaks?
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 28 Oct. 2025
But measles counts continue to grow in the US, and ongoing outbreaks in multiple states — including one on the border of Arizona and Utah and one in South Carolina — are being investigated for possible connections to the Texas outbreak.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Studies of past measles outbreaks in Amish communities indicate this wave of new cases could last many months or a year.
—Alix Martichoux, The Hill, 30 Mar. 2025
Parents are watching what's happening with these outbreaks and concern about potential exposure is growing.
—Maria Godoy, NPR, 30 Mar. 2025
Anthony Bald, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2025
In 2016 the entire region of the Americas declared the disease eliminated, but outbreaks in Venezuela in 2017 and in Brazil in 2018 reversed that declaration.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2025
Past outbreaks that have previously been linked to consumer goods, have sometimes resulted in hospitalizations and even deaths.
—Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The country is already in the midst of its worst measles year in three decades, with more than 1,500 cases and current outbreaks in South Carolina and Minnesota.
—Arthur Allen, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
Are other states seeing outbreaks?
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 28 Oct. 2025
But measles counts continue to grow in the US, and ongoing outbreaks in multiple states — including one on the border of Arizona and Utah and one in South Carolina — are being investigated for possible connections to the Texas outbreak.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Studies of past measles outbreaks in Amish communities indicate this wave of new cases could last many months or a year.
—Alix Martichoux, The Hill, 30 Mar. 2025
Parents are watching what's happening with these outbreaks and concern about potential exposure is growing.
—Maria Godoy, NPR, 30 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreaks
Noun
-
As rain pattered against windows, and trees lining the streets swayed, flurries of urgent texts began ricocheting from one end of the neighborhood to the other, and panic set in as some residents put on their shoes and hurried out the door.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Mild with occasional snow flurries, but calm most of the week.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Wars and insurrections have afflicted other parts of the Middle East, but Baghdad—a city whose name was once synonymous with suicide bombings and sectarian murder—has been spared.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The president can also legally invoke the military under the Insurrection Act, which allows troops to be deployed in order to curb insurrections.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Fortunately, Marty, posing as a federal agent here to arrest Lee for harassment, bursts through the One Well doors in the nick of time.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
-
These collisions unleash bursts of energy, allowing physicists to explore the most fundamental building blocks of the universe.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The Onondagas support plans announced by the mayor of Syracuse in 2020 to remove the statue of Columbus, an Italian explorer who helped the Spanish establish a colonial foothold in the Caribbean and later suppressed revolts by Indigenous people.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Peasant revolts have been a thing right alongside revolutionary history the entire time.—
Nikki McCann Ramirez,
Rolling Stone,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Musk, whose partisan outbursts reportedly cost Tesla one million sales, remains the world’s wealthiest person, and could become the first-ever trillionaire.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Vahid’s ensuing road trip leads to mayhem and outbursts as well as some quite funny moments.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Fury will focus on the Sturlung Era, a period defined by family betrayal, shifting alliances and violent uprisings.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The East African country has been mired in civil strife ever since the central government collapsed in 1991 following a series of uprisings against the then-military dictatorship.—
Omar S Mahmood,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The display is typically only removed in cases of high treason or rebellions against the Crown, according to The Sun.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
-
McArthur replied that, yes, the administration agreed with that point of view, prompting Bennett to ask him whether George Washington could have retained control over local militias years after founding-era rebellions had ended.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This includes leader assassination attempts by political opponents or lone wolves or mutinies by disgruntled soldiers who might even march on the presidential palace to demand higher pay, promotions or other policy concessions.—
John Joseph Chin,
The Conversation,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Outbreaks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreaks. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share