outbreak

noun

ˈau̇t-ˌbrāk How to pronounce outbreak (audio)
Definition of outbreaknext
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

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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

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 This summer, cyclosporiasis caught the attention of the entire nation after an outbreak raised fears for the illness. — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026 Limited care is resulting in more deaths Experts believe the virus began spreading from the mining town of Mongbwalu as early as February, months before authorities declared the outbreak on May 15. — Chinedu Asadu, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026 The outbreak involves a strain of the virus called Bundibugyo, for which there is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment. — Nahid Bhadelia, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026 Dausch joined Yum Brands, which recently saw sales take a hit from a cyclospora outbreak, in December 2024 as global chief digital and technology officer of Pizza Hut. — John Kell, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outbreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outbreak
  1. flurry
  2. revolt
  3. burst
  4. insurrection
  5. outburst
  6. uprising
  7. mutiny
  8. rebellion
Noun
  • But Sorsby soon was ruled ineligible for gambling on college sports, setting off a flurry of court activity.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Every February, a flurry of posts about racial justice, perfectly timed to Black History Month.
    — Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of flurry
Noun
  • Democratic primaries have been shaped by a progressive revolt against the party establishment.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Could Infantino’s close relationship with the president be adding even more fuel to the revolt?
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of revolt
Noun
  • In little more than a year, Europe’s broadcasting sector has seen a burst of dealmaking that would have looked improbable a decade ago.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The trick is to hold the can 8 to 10 inches away, and spray in short bursts.
    — Iman Balagam, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • As Port falls in with a group of conspirators preparing for the insurrection, the book takes on a hallucinatory, digressive quality, blurring the lines between life and death, reality and illusion.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Stephen Colbert’s award-winning Late Show was canceled in a move that many have labeled political appeasement, and the flagship evening newscast baselessly recast the January 6 insurrection as a partisan squabble.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of insurrection
Noun
  • The outbursts helped relieve some pressure, but Nakashima tightened up as the prospect of making his first Masters 1000 final neared.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • White left immediately after her 2 1/2-minute outburst ended without taking questions.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of outburst
Noun
  • Al-Assir gained support in southern Lebanon for his vocal criticism of the powerful Shiite militant Hezbollah group’s involvement in Syria’s uprising that turned into civil war.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Also sentenced to death in the same case was Assad’s maternal cousin Atef Najib, who was convicted of overseeing a crackdown in the southern province of Daraa that led to the uprising and later the civil war.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of uprising
Noun
  • At the start of the summer, Infantino seemed untouchable but there is a mood of mutiny in the air.
    — Simon Hughes, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
  • For years, they have been stuck at sea with their leader, the great warrior king Odysseus (Matt Damon), trying to find a route home to Ithaca; hunger and desperation have spurred his fiery second-in-command, Eurylochus (Himesh Patel), toward mutiny.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Definition of mutiny
Noun
  • In several instances these rituals were utilized during slave rebellions; the New York slave rebellion of 1712 reportedly began with a pact sealed in blood and powder, a practice with African religious parallels.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Freedom matters to you more than keeping up with traditions, which is where your financial savviness comes into play, not to mention rebellion.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of rebellion

Browse Nearby Words

outbraving
outbreak
outbreaks
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Cite this Entry

“Outbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outbreak. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of outbreak for Spanish Speakers

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