1
as in flurry
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

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2
as in revolt
open fighting against authority (as one's own government) the government quelled the outbreak with ruthless efficiency

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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 outbreak Texas has seen a deadly outbreak of the highly contagious virus this year. Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 17 June 2025 Recent outbreaks were linked to eggs, cucumbers and ground beef. Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 16 June 2025 This is likely to lead to more outbreaks and preventable severe illness and death. Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025 After tamping down that outbreak by February 2017, the researchers working at Ngogo implemented a new series of protocols. Michael Franco, New Atlas, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreak
Noun
  • Then, in early May, came a flurry of warnings — emails from spoofed Coinbase.com addresses, suspicious activity alerts, and a barrage of phone calls.
    Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 18 June 2025
  • Schools are hosting camps, prospects are taking official visits and a flurry of commitments have landed over the past two-plus weeks.
    Antonio Morales, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • Any President attempting to orchestrate a global system like the one during the Gilded Age would have faced a capitalist revolt.
    Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
  • Iran has additionally fomented open revolt against the Saudi monarchy.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • Pride Month tends to arrive in a confetti burst of color.
    Sophia Bush, Time, 20 June 2025
  • In a burst of architectural brilliance, a pair of striking glass hallways connect the two wings of the main house, one spotlighting views of a cascading creek and the other lush landscaping.
    David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • All of these acts of insurrection reveal a nation unbowed in the face of violent oppression.
    Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
  • Mass deportations, the politicization of our military and the use of the military as props to create the suggestion of insurrection are classic authoritarian techniques to take over governments.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • Elsewhere, beware of outbursts and shocking news in the first few days of the week.
    Kyle Thomas, People.com, 15 June 2025
  • Although aurora can occasionally be seen in deep twilight, the display needs to be strong and the timing of outbursts fortunate.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • Also, because Israel is constantly targeting Tehran, which has been the center of previous uprisings, there is no potential for people to mobilize and come out on the streets, Azizi added.
    Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025
  • Newark’s mayor cited reports of a possible uprising and escape after disorder broke out at the facility Thursday night and protesters outside the center locked arms and pushed against barricades as vehicles passed through gates.
    Mike Catalini, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • Along the way, the exhausting voyage involved various mutinies and crew deaths, and upon reaching the islands of the Malayan Archipelago, Magellan’s mind and ambitions changed.
    Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 18 May 2025
  • But the mutiny underscored for Putin that the country’s current business leaders and high-level bureaucrats cannot be relied on at moments of regime crisis.
    ANDREI YAKOVLEV, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • The light pink Rose Blossoming Set gives me a sense of femininity and calmness while the black Serpent dress gives me a feeling of rebellion and power.
    Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
  • Could today’s culture be encouraging identity shifts as a form of rebellion?
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreak. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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