Definition of outburstnext
1
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling the judge directed the courtroom spectators to refrain from any outbursts when the verdict was read

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2
3
as in eruption
the act or an instance of exploding in the outburst known as a supernova, the star may reach an intrinsic luminosity one billion times that of the sun

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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 outburst The crackdown—which came amid a shrinking economy, rising costs, tax increases, and Ukrainian drone strikes on the country’s energy sector—led to a rare outburst of public discontent and an equally uncommon acknowledgment of the dissatisfaction from Putin. Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 8 May 2026 At certain peaks, such as Italy’s Stromboli and Etna volcanoes, which regularly spout fountains of lava, scientists can confidently forecast an outburst. Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026 Until then, neighbors will have to deal with the man's outbursts. Lauren Pozen, CBS News, 8 May 2026 At 11 years old, after a series of violent outbursts, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for outburst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outburst
Noun
  • Rubin, with the exquisite detail of its images, is well placed to find these types of events, in which stars disappear in explosions that can be too faint for other surveys to see.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 15 May 2026
  • In New York City, the explosion of rideshare pickups and last-mile delivery overwhelmed curbside infrastructure built for a different era.
    Chase Garbarino, Fortune, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • The flurry of headlines about what was left out of the film—most obviously, the 1993 lawsuit that accused Jackson of molesting a 13-year-old, and subsequent lawsuits alleging similar abuse—also haven’t mattered.
    Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
  • Kieffer acknowledged, however, that the board’s attorneys were looking into the flurry of legal questions regarding the referendum and the map.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • As previously reported, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius released thermal energy roughly equivalent to 100,000 times the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II, spewing molten rock, pumice, and hot ash over the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in particular.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 18 May 2026
  • Its origin—Crater Lake formed following a volcanic eruption 7,700 years ago—only adds to the allure.
    Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • All over the dress, shimmering sequins created bursts of firework-like patterning, with varied tones of metallic silver.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 17 May 2026
  • The Tempo went on a 10-0 burst heading into the second quarter but the Sparks countered to maintain momentum and led 46-38 at halftime.
    Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • In a remote part of northwestern Venezuela, there is a crack and flash of lightning most nights of the year.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 13 May 2026
  • Yet the sport still shows flashes of strength.
    CBS News, CBS News, 13 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Outburst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outburst. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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