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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 The outbreak was forcing a shortage of eggs as well,leading some grocers to restrict how many dozens of eggs consumers could buy per visit. Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 6 Aug. 2025 The outbreak is concentrated within five zip codes and remediation efforts have been completed on 11 cooling towers. Chris Sims, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Aug. 2025 In fact, raw oysters and other seafood, along with seawater exposure, are the most common sources of Vibrio outbreaks tracked by the CDC. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025 The two Jefferson County cases are not related to a measles outbreak currently affecting Fayette and Woodford counties, Bryant said. Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 29 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreak
Noun
  • The exec’s comments came after the company made a flurry of ESPN announcements, including a landmark deal with the NFL to swap equity for control of NFL Media assets.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Since most of the agency’s old guard departed in a flurry of resignations more than a year ago, SANDAG’s new leaders have moved to make many of the outstanding reforms called for by auditors, a new report finds.
    Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Still, the Jews chafed under Roman rule and finally rebelled in 66 CE, a revolt which invited the wrath of the Roman legions led by future emperors Vespasian and his son Titus.
    Jacob Jones, JSTOR Daily, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Five days later, after a revolt, he was reinstated.
    Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Love planet Venus will enter Leo on Aug. 25, adding a dazzling burst of glamour and passion, followed by harmonious aspects to Saturn, Uranus and Neptune on Aug. 25 and 26, making romantic themes equally grounding and liberating.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • And all of this came during a sustained burst of fiction writing that Woolf—whose work had been derailed by mental breakdowns and spells of illness—relished.
    Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The charge was incitement of insurrection based on his challenge of the 2020 election results and on his speech on January 6.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
  • The judge set to preside over the bench trial, Charles R. Breyer, previously granted a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration, ruling that the president unlawfully federalized the National Guard and that the protests didn’t amount to an insurrection.
    Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Glacial outburst floods have killed more than 12,000 people worldwide, according to estimates in the journal Global and Planetary Change.
    Evan Bush, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2025
  • As the other undefeated team, Canada outscored its three opponents 19-4, but had to rely on some third-period outbursts to run up those offensive numbers.
    Carol Schram, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • But for some aldermen, increasing that charge could cause more of a political uprising than raising the property tax levy.
    A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025
  • In 2022, a new nationwide uprising erupted in response to the murder of Mahsa Amini.
    Tom Ridge, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
Noun
  • So no red eyes, no space mutinies — just words, structured to be helpful.
    Chris Reed, Oc Register, 30 July 2025
  • On the verge of a mass mutiny, Washington, who'd led his army through many battles, again stepped into the breach.
    Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
Noun
  • Call it nostalgia or a rebellion against the clean functionality of minimalism, but romantic, decorative textiles are having a moment.
    Hannah Coates, Vogue, 13 Aug. 2025
  • In a world that equates stress with productivity, peace becomes a form of rebellion—and power.
    Jonathan Low, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreak. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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