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
Talks were first scheduled to begin on Friday, but Iran’s delegation delayed their flight amid the outbreak of fighting in Lebanon.
—
Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 20 June 2026
More than 680 people have gotten sick since the state's first outbreak began on June 20, 2025.
—ABC News, 20 June 2026
The Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in Congo, which has spread to neighboring Uganda, is causing serious concern among health officials.
—Kiki Intarasuwan, CBS News, 16 June 2026
This is the second outbreak of infant botulism linked to baby formula, going back to last year when ByHeart Infant Formula was linked to at least 50 cases across the country.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 20 June 2026
More than 680 people have gotten sick since the state's first outbreak began on June 20, 2025.
—ABC News, 20 June 2026
The Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in Congo, which has spread to neighboring Uganda, is causing serious concern among health officials.
—Kiki Intarasuwan, CBS News, 16 June 2026
This is the second outbreak of infant botulism linked to baby formula, going back to last year when ByHeart Infant Formula was linked to at least 50 cases across the country.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreak
Noun
-
Even before the latest flurry of mixed signals, the industry had doubts.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
20 June 2026
-
The Angels recalled infielder Christian Moore from Triple-A Salt Lake among a flurry of moves.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
Proposition 13 galvanized a nationwide tax revolt and enshrined the modern system of property taxes.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
-
The day shift also starts making factory-work jokes, with Rekha playing a perky do-bee who just wants to make the boss happy, and Lily adopting an agitator role, demanding workman’s comp and trying to spark revolt.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Comprising 1,650 radio dishes, the telescope aims to study black holes, spinning dead stars and radio bursts from deep space.—
Jeremy Mikula,
NBC news,
21 June 2026
-
The concept of producing electricity from ion movement is not new, and as Kim explained, electric eels use a similar principle in nature, generating electrical bursts by controlling ion flow across specialized cells known as electrocytes.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
21 June 2026
Noun
-
Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi led the insurrection after weeks of widespread national protests.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
-
Penn, known for his strong political convictions, previously attended a public hearing of the House select committee investigating the deadly 2021 insurrection.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
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
-
But her outbursts frightened the children too.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Then, as things started to change politically in England, there was the beginning of that feeling of an uprising by the serfs against the aristocracy and the landowners, and this cultural hero rocking the boat and stealing from the rich to give to the poor started to be birthed.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
17 June 2026
-
There was also a growing belief among prison officials, around the time of the Attica prison uprising, that being more responsive to prisoners' concerns would reduce the likelihood of violence or rioting.—
Christie Thompson,
NPR,
17 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
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The property tax rebellion is part of a broader push on both the right and left to give tax exemptions to seniors, workers who rely on tips, and the bottom 50% of the country to address cost-of-living pressures.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
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House Democrats are betting that a future Speaker Hakeem Jeffries wouldn’t struggle with the type of aisle-crossing rebellion that’s often vexed current Speaker Mike Johnson.—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreak. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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