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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in revolt
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
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Recent Examples of outbreak
Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, says the current outbreak shows what consequences of that narrower focus have been and why rarer Ebola species cannot be ignored.
—
Paul Adepoju, Scientific American, 14 June 2026
An outbreak of infant botulism tied to the formula brand ByHeart led to over 50 illnesses in 19 states.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 14 June 2026
Iran initially planned to train in Tucson, Arizona, before the war’s outbreak, but quickly moved to Baja California.
—ABC News, 14 June 2026
Visa processing in Africa has already been curtailed under the Trump administration with a travel ban on certain countries, a requirement for some applicants to post bonds of up to $15,000, and disruptions caused by the ongoing Ebola outbreak.
—Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Paul Adepoju, Scientific American, 14 June 2026
An outbreak of infant botulism tied to the formula brand ByHeart led to over 50 illnesses in 19 states.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 14 June 2026
Iran initially planned to train in Tucson, Arizona, before the war’s outbreak, but quickly moved to Baja California.
—ABC News, 14 June 2026
Visa processing in Africa has already been curtailed under the Trump administration with a travel ban on certain countries, a requirement for some applicants to post bonds of up to $15,000, and disruptions caused by the ongoing Ebola outbreak.
—Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreak
Noun
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The wave of arctic air has the potential to create flurries and snowfall in some areas.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
7 Dec. 2025
-
Republican gubernatorial candidates Mike Kennealy and Brian Shortsleeve have announced a flurry of early campaign endorsements as the September primary looms ten months away.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
7 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Republicans are grinning at the prospect of a progressive revolt, as Democratic moderates within the party warn that tip-toeing too far to the left could shoo away general election voters.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
10 Dec. 2025
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Oil expected to last only one night endured for eight during the Maccabee revolt.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
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On Saturday, with the Knicks trailing by 10 points with seven minutes remaining, Brunson scored 13 consecutive points during a six-minute fourth quarter burst, finishing with 45 points in the 94-90 victory over San Antonio that earned him Final MVP honors.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
14 June 2026
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Spinning brushes and bursts of pressurized gas inside the head then sweep samples into a collection chamber before the spacecraft beats a hasty retreat.—
Andrew Jones,
Scientific American,
11 June 2026
Noun
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The former president is currently on trial for insurrection, while prosecutors have reportedly sought a 15-year prison term for former prime minister Han Duck-soo.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
3 Dec. 2025
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More than a dozen military commanders, Yoon's defense minister and interior minister, as well as his prime minister Han Duck-soo, have also been indicted for varying degrees of involvement in the alleged insurrection.—
NPR,
NPR,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Laila Emamjoneh, 24, who sat beside her sister and brother-in-law, was startled at the outburst for New Zealand among a group of mostly Iranians.—
Suhauna Hussain,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
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Their gripes aren’t just about Sirianni’s outbursts — which, in fairness, mirror those of so many Philly fans.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of NCRI-US, told Fox News Digital that the organization first became focused on stadium surveillance while tracking how Iranian authorities identified protesters during recent uprisings.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
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For nearly eight years, the Ukrainian army—with the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion at the vanguard—tried to bludgeon the uprising into submission.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
The seeds of mutiny are detectable.—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
-
Within six months, Richards’ side of the group staged a mutiny, locked Diekmann in his apartment, and forced him to relinquish control.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
View gallery - 5 images There's a rebellion underway against the always-on, infinitely-scrollable nature of the smartphone.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
10 June 2026
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Within weeks, the new hypernationalist government mounted an effort to suppress the Russian language in the Donbas, provoking a rebellion among ethnically Russian Ukrainians.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreak. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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