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 His dismissal wasn’t so much the result of one outburst or misstep, the person told The Times, but the culmination of a season’s worth of issues that boiled over in the wake of the Nebraska loss. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026 Tristan Peters fouled off 12 pitches in an 18-pitch at-bat that keyed Chicago's six-run outburst in the sixth inning and the White Sox beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 on Monday night to stay atop the AL Central. — CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026 Laurie tried to tiptoe around his emotions, unsure what might trigger an outburst. — Mirin Fader, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 If the lighting is controlled, the performances restrained (with room for outbursts, of course), and the score swelling at the right moments, the work will register as important. — Henry Metz, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outburst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outburst
Noun
  • There’s been an explosion that has caused a giant ice shelf dubbed Judy, one roughly the size of Boston, to detach.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Blowing up a nuclear bomb in space would first destroy or disable any nearby satellites, and then the damage would spread as electronics-frying energetic particles from the explosion contaminated huge swaths of orbit.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • OpenAI is holding its annual DevDay developer conference on Tuesday, where the artificial intelligence company is expected to showcase a flurry of new products and features.
    — Ashley Capoot,Kate Rooney,Chris Eudaily, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Cliffs teeter at 1,640 feet, before tumbling down in a flurry of vineyards and walking trails to the rushing rivers and gorges of Sil and Miño.
    — Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The vehicle splashed down intact in the northern Pacific Ocean three hours and eight minutes after liftoff, causing another eruption of cheers from the folks gathered at Starbase.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Surveillance video from the park shows an eruption of gunfire that lasted about 30 seconds as people fled the area.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Launched in 2004, the $364 million observatory is designed to pivot quickly -- as its name suggests -- to capture gamma ray bursts, exploding stars and other fast-breaking cosmic action.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The machines typically used to compress fuel must deliver enormous bursts of energy with exceptional precision.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • While high winds are expected, the main concern is flash flooding, said John Bravender, a weather service warning coordination meteorologist, during a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
    — MEGAN JANETSKY, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The cinematic video features a flash of 13 scenes (of course), including one close-up shot that shows Swift looking emotional with very little makeup except maybe a coat of mascara.
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Outburst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outburst. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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